Definitely not my favourite YA unfortunately. I thought this had so much potential but it didn't quite go where I wanted it.

If you're like me, loving books that combine mystery, tension, and a strong-willed protagonist, The Hunting Moon will hook you from page one. As a sequel to The Luminaries, this book manages to deepen the story's mythology and its characters, all while keeping you at the edge of your seat.

Winnie Wednesday is such a compelling character. Her journey here is more personal and even darker than in the first book. I really felt her struggle as she dealt with the consequences of her newfound celebrity status while still being dismissed by those around her. Her determination to prove the existence of the Whisperer—and clear the werewolf’s name—is a reflection of her fierce loyalty and grit.

What I loved most is how Dennard weaves the suspense and the world-building so seamlessly. The clues about the Dianas and the mystery surrounding Hemlock Falls are tantalizingly layered, leaving me questioning everything right alongside Winnie. The pacing was spot-on, with enough reveals to keep me satisfied, yet still hungry for answers.

And can we talk about Jay Friday? Their dynamic continues to be one of the book’s highlights. He’s enigmatic and frustrating, but you can’t help but root for him and Winnie to find some common ground—and maybe even something more.

This book is a perfect blend of action, mystery, and heart. If you enjoyed The Luminaries, The Hunting Moon doesn’t just deliver—it surpasses expectations. Now I’m left wondering how long I’ll have to wait for the next installment, because I need to know what happens next in Hemlock Falls!

While I loved The Luminaries - I found it a fun, fast-paced YA fantasy with some cool horror-like elements (from the forest and the nightmares) - this didn't really feel like a sequel as much as just an extension of the first book (if that makes sense?).

It didn't give much new information throughout the book except from a couple of pages at the end. The big reveal was also something you could've/should've figured out already in book 1, and so I was just left with the feeling "was that it?".

Needed a bit more mystery and new clues/new drama/new everything.

3/5⭐

Thank you to Daphne Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed reading the Luminaries because even thought it was YA it had a dark edge to it which carries on in this book. However Book 1 left me with a lot of questions - some of which are answered here but yet again I’m left with a lot of other questions!

I enjoyed returning to this world which is very narrow in its focus but allows the characters to flourish. I like the growth in Winnie as well as Jay & Erica to an extent. I’m not a fan of the angst and nothingness of Winnie & Jay (lol this is where the age thing comes in - definitely too young for me) but I liked that they finally open up to each other at the end.

My slightly spoiler questions going into Book 3 (which I will definitely be reading) are as follows:
- So is Jenna the mesuline? How? Was she always one or become one? Does Erica know?
- I forget the significance of the lockets but Erica must have got it after Grayson died?
- the Diana’s turned Winnie’s dad into a crow? Does he become a human again to send the cards? I was thinking he must be watching or seeing them on some level to draw the cards
- who is the lead Diana? Ms Funday is an easy assumption but maybe it’s Erica’s mum. Can’t wait to find out. At least we now know it’s not Rachel.

Overall I really enjoyed reading this. Started off slow and a little hard to get into but picked up in the 2nd half. 3.5 stars again.

Winnie Wednesday is back. The Hunting Moon picks up right after The Luminaries. Winnie is still trying to prove the Whisperer exists and that the Werewolf is not responsible for the deaths that are occurring. I loved how we learnt more about the WTF trio - Winnie Wednesday, Erica Thursday and Jay Friday and their friendship before Winnie’s family was outcast. Finally we get some answers in the book but that also opens way more questions and those reveals in the last third of the book was brilliant. Can’t wait for the next one.

Thanks to Daphne Press for a review copy.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy of this e-arc.

I enjoyed the first book of this but I feel as though I couldn’t really get back into the story of it all. I tried multiple times to read this fully but it just wasn’t for me.

Susan Dennard is becoming one of my auto buy authors. The Luminaries are so easy to follow, I speed through them and I’m kept interested the full way. I love Winnie’s character development, especially her opinion of the forest. My favourite parts are the descriptions/facts about the monsters. I can’t wait for the next book!

Review for a sequel book, no spoilers for this, but obviously there will be some for book one as it picks up right after

Winnie has passed the Hunter Trials and it seems this is also her families golden ticket to get back into the community. But she is still getting attention she doesn't want but at least she is a part of things now!

Winnie is still trying to convince people about the Whisperer, but the town is focused on the werewolf for the deaths and their minds cannot be changed.

Winnie must deal with all this. Whilst following her dad's clues and also adjusting to her new position and dynamic with her friend group, with her ex friends and also the community and hunters as a whole

Great middle book, quite leisurely paced with a good build up to lead us into book three... which I can't wait for now!

📚 review 📚
the hunting moon - susan dennard

as this is book two of a series and no one likes spoilers we’ll keep this brief - the hunting moon picks up where the luminaries left us - winnie has passed her trials, she and jay are dealing with the death of grayson friday and she has the mystery of what happened to her dad to solve. on top of school, dealing with sudden fame and the small issue of the werewolf and the whisperer that are haunting the forest.

though i enjoyed this, it is a little slow compared to the luminaries, you can tell it’s the second book in a series. stick with it though, it really starts flying when you get past the half way mark. also i totally called it on one plot point. so i feel super
pleased with myself!

looking forward to the final installment coming soon and getting to meet susan dennard at her event in bath in a few weeks

Normally I reread the first book so I can remember what is what, but this was such a unique story I had remembered a lot of what had happened in book one and the author was great at reminding us of past events without info dumping. So, really grateful for that.

Middle books are tough and if an author can pull it off where the middle book is is just as interesting and fast-paced and informative as the other books I think that author deserves a cookie and a gold star sticker. And if I could send them to Susan Dennard then I would because she nailed it with The Hunting Moon.

The story continues where we left off as Winnie questions everything (as she should) and gets some answers that just bring more questions and mystery! I feel like I can't say much more than that without spoiling book one. But the characters show growth that comes with growing up and I think they are all great and I can't wait to see what happens in book three: Out later this year! Is it October yet?

This series has made me fall in love with reading again. Beautifully written does not come close to describing how good this is. The characters, the plot, the development, everything is just perfect. I only wish I could write half as well as this.

The audiobooks for this series are just so good!
This one was such a delight and I was honestly so invested. I mean, I saw the "big" plot twist coming from book one, but it didn't take any of my enjoyment away.

I'm just really rooting for Winnie, Jay, and the rest of the crew and I'm very excited to see how everything concludes in book three!

Although I did enjoy reading this one, I unfortunately didn’t love it as much as I did with book one.

The storyline was still good and I did love the characters as I did in the luminaries, but I found myself struggling with this one and not wanting to pick it up. Maybe because it’s a little slower than my usual fast faced preference?

However, I did love returning to the creepy town of Hemlock and I did like the twist and I wasn’t expecting it to happen the way it did.

I will definitely be picking up book three at some point in the future, but maybe not rushing for it like I did this one.

The Hunting Moon is a fast-paced fantasy YA novel, the second book in a series about The Luminaries, a society bound to protect humanity from the monstrous nightmares that come to life in their forest every night. I love the world created by Susan Dennard, as it is detailed and filled with imaginative creatures. Winnie’s habit of repeating facts about the different kinds of nightmares, while stressed, makes it easy for the reader to learn more about them. This series needs a form of illustrated bestiary to come with it.

I reread The Luminaries before reaching for this book, and unfortunately, I considered lowering my rating. The world created by the author is incredible, but I believe the story could be improved by aiming the books at the older audience. There is too much contrast between the forest scenes, the importance of the Luminaries' mission and Winnie’s everyday school life problems, making them seem banal. If the characters were more mature, their struggles slightly different, and the atmosphere darker, this series could be phenomenal. Still, I think it will find faithful readers among the fans of YA fantasy.

Blog tour with Black Crow PR

http://ramblingmads.uk/2023/11/21/blog-tour-the-hunting-moon-susan-dennard/

Oh my GOD!!! What just happened? Its like a movie in a book that you can’t and don't want to pause. Like you need to continue Winnies journey to finally know what had happened and why! Like its needed as the air, no sleep not even a food can interfere in this! Hand down! I need all possible versions of tHe books! Thank you for chance to read this !!!

Although I did enjoy this book, I unfortunately didn’t love it as much as book one. The storyline was good and I still loved the characters, but I was a bit disappointed by it. Book one was very hard to put down and I couldn’t stop reading it, but I found myself struggling with this one and not wanting to pick it up. I liked the twist and I was surprised, and I will definitely read a book 3 if there is one. But this one just felt like it was missing something compared to book one. However, I do recommend this series, and I’m looking forward to reading more books from Susan Dennard in the future.

4.4⭐️

Thank you to Daphne Press and Netgalley for this eARC!

I’m really enjoying this series, despite the characters being younger than I usually read these days. Winnie’s relationships with other characters are really cute and refreshing to read (despite what had been happening to her family for the past four years).

I did pick up on the plots twists relatively early but I still enjoyed those theories being confirmed. I can’t wait for the next book to see what is going to happen!

A similar rating to The Luminaries, but really I felt a little let down by this one.

Maybe I wasn't in the right place to read this, but it felt liked it dragged whereas I speedily read the Luminaries like a guilty pleasure. Not much happened for a long time, given the abrupt cliffhanger in the first book, I thought that would be the focus for the second, but instead the book meandered into plot points and anxieties I thought that the first had already covered. It felt repetitive and only picked up again towards the end.

I think whether or not I read the third will depend on the size of my tbr when it's released, I want to know what happens, but I'm not super excited about it, unfortunately.

I was absolutely obsessed with luminaries and this book did not disappoint! The story progression and the characters growth throughout the series has been great! Super easy read and absolutely gripping I would recommend this series to any and everybody!