Format: Hardcover, 304 pages
Release Date: November 7, 2023
Publisher: Tor Teen
Source: Publisher
Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy / Contemporary
Winnie Wednesday has gotten everything she thought she wanted. She
passed the deadly hunter trials, her family has been welcomed back into
the Luminaries, and overnight, she has become a local celebrity.
The Girl Who Jumped. The Girl Who Got Bitten.
Unfortunately,
it all feels wrong. For one, nobody will believe her about the new
nightmare called the Whisperer that's killing hunters each night.
Everyone blames the werewolf, even though Winnie is certain the wolf is
innocent.
On top of that, following her dad's convoluted clues
about the Diana's, their magic, and what happened in Hemlock Falls four
years ago is leaving her with more questions than answers.
Then
to complicate it all, there is still only one person who can help her:
Jay Friday, the boy with plenty of problems all his own.
As
bodies and secrets pile up around town, Winnie finds herself questioning
what it means to be a true Wednesday and a true Luminary—and also where
her fierce-hearted loyalties might ultimately have to lie.
The Hunting Moon, by Susan Dennard, is the second installment in the authors The Luminaries series. The story follows a group of people who live in Hemlock Falls. These folks are trained to hunt and kill the monsters (nightmares like changelings, and harpies) that are spawned each night in the forest, before these monsters escape and kill innocents. 16-year old Winnie Wednesday has passed her hunter trials but now has the infamous reputation as being the girl who jumped as well as the girl who was bitten by a werewolf.
She is also the only one in Hemlock Falls who seems to know about a new nightmare called the Whisperer, but she also lost part of her memories. To make matters worse, Winnie worries that her Aunt Rachel, who knows about her trials and the reality of what Winnie did, will go back on her word to allow Winnie's family back into the Luminaries after they were banished 4 years ago after her father was accused of being a Diana (Witch). Winnie's trials are not over. She still must put together the pieces that her father left behind for her.
Secrets that could finally give the family piece of mind after 4 years of being treated like malcontents and traitors. To make matters worse, the lead hunter, Grayson, is murdered which makes Jay Friday the youngest lead hunter in Hemlock Falls. Jay, Winnie's former best friend, has been keeping secrets, and so, it seems, is her former friend Erica. Her refusal to simply blame the werewolf, despite popular opinion, is a testament to her strong moral compass.
*Thoughts* The mystery surrounding the Diana's (Diana – a member of a witchlike society that is the Luminaries’ mortal enemy), their magic, and the events in Hemlock Falls four years ago deepens, adding layers of intrigue. I do think there's more the author has not explained about the events of what really happened to Winnie's father. While you can presume, that something awful happened, you also have to consider that there may be others who are involved. And, just how many secrets are Jay and Erica keeping from Winnie? I guess we have to hope for a third book to find out.
No comments:
Post a Comment