The Luminaries (Barnes & Noble YA Book Club Edition)

by Susan Dennard

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

A lush forest full of deadly supernatural monsters serves as the backdrop for The Luminaries, the first book in a new contemporary fantasy series from the author of the Witchlands series. This thrilling read rife with paranormal elements will keep readers captivated through the very last page.

This B&N YA Book Club Edition includes an alternate cover with copper foiling, a unique case color and case stamp, and exclusive endpapers.

This is the first book in a brand new contemporary fantasy series from the New York Times bestselling author of the Witchlands series, Susan Dennard. Set in the small town of Hemlock Falls, the novel follows Winnie, an exile from an ancient society that protects humanity from monsters and nightmares. Winnie is determined to restore her family's good name by taking the deadly hunter trials on her sixteenth birthday.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250896155
Publisher:	Tom Doherty Associates
Publication date:	11/01/2022
Edition description:	Barnes & Noble YA Book Club Edition
Pages:	304
Sales rank:	95
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 9.30(h) x 1.20(d)
Age Range:	13 - 18 Years

About the Author

Susan Dennard is the award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of the Witchlands series (now in development for TV from the Jim Henson Company), the Something Strange and Deadly series, as well as various short stories and other tales across the internet. She also runs the popular newsletter for writers, the Misfits and Daydreamers. When not writing or teaching writing, she can be found rolling the dice as a Dungeon Master or mashing buttons on one of her way too many consoles.

Originally from Georgia, Dennard earned advanced degrees in marine ecology and statistics while also traveling the world. She now lives near Lake Michigan with her French husband, très mignonne daughter, and a veritable zoo of aging pets.

Editorial Reviews

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 The 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

“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

“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

From the Publisher

2022-08-03
A family of monster hunters seeks redemption amid danger and mysteries.

Sixteen-year-old Winnie Wednesday is devoted to her hometown of Hemlock Falls and its local branch of nightmare-hunting Luminaries. The international organization trains hunters from a young age to deal with all sorts of mythological beasties, such as basilisks and manticores, that emerge from the nightly mist. Luminary members are sorted into clans named after the days of the week, each of which has an associated motto. Winnie hopes to heal some of the damage from an infamous incident involving her father, which resulted in her family’s being made outcasts, by passing the hunter trials like three generations of women before her. Anything to avoid life among the oblivious nons who live outside Luminary culture. The Wednesday family’s arc is satisfyingly earnest, from dealing with classroom taunting and falls from grace to navigating overnight popularity. A slow-burn romance with a bassist who reeks of cigarettes and weed leads to plenty of ogling during training and a motorcycle ride. The pace rolls steadily along with its gradual buildup of supernatural action and personal stakes before culminating with a tease to the sequel: Readers will want to don a motorcycle jacket and join the nightmare hunt. Main characters read White; the supporting cast includes some diversity in race, religion, and nationality.

An entertaining addition to the tradition of young adult adventures in finding oneself. (Fantasy. 13-18)

Kirkus Reviews