Day’s YA: THE HUNTING MOON

THE HUNTING MOON by Susan Dennard
9781250194145
11/7/2023
Tor Teen
Ages 13-18

E-galley available on Edelweiss and NetGalley

At the end of THE LUMINARIES, things in Winnie’s life were looking up…for the most part. She passed her hunter trials and her family was finally welcomed back into the Luminaries after being outcast for four years because her father was a traitorous witch. There’s just the small matter of learning that her father was maybe framed. 

Now, in the sequel, Winnie is trying to follow the cryptic clues left behind by her father in an attempt to confirm his innocence, but she’s struggling to find answers amidst all the questions. Meanwhile, the mysterious nightmare that attacked Winnie in the forest is still out there terrorizing the hunters, but no one will believe Winnie about its existence, instead blaming the recent killings on a werewolf that they are determined to hunt down and kill. The only person who believes Winnie and is willing to help her is her ex-best friend and town bad boy, Jay. As they grow closer and uncover secrets about each other, an already complicated situation becomes even messier and Winnie has to decide where her loyalties truly lie.

If you loved the adventure, mystery, and romance in the first book, buckle up because this sequel is all of that, dialed up to the next level. The stakes are higher, the monsters are scarier, and the slow-burn romance between Winnie and Jay burns even brighter, as the pain of their friendship break-up four years ago bubbles to the surface. Plus, Susan Dennard’s world-building continues to be fantastic. The eerie, mystical town of Hemlock Falls is so vividly written that I feel like I could wind up there on a misguided road trip. I’d hand this series to readers who enjoy dark, atmospheric shows with supernatural elements like Stranger Things, Wednesday, or Riverdale, or anyone who might be fighting some monsters of their own. 

Happy reading!
<3 Emily

YA Resources:
2023 Books for Teens
Day’s YA Archives
2023 Adult Books for Teens