YA Weekend: The Hunting Moon by Susan Dennard

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

The Hunting Moon by Susan Dennard

Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Series: Book 2 of The Luminaries

Publisher: Tor Teen (November 7, 2023)

Length: 272 pages

Author Information: Website

The Hunting Moon by Susan Dennard is the second installment in The Luminaries series, and believe me, after how the first book ended on that excruciating cliffhanger, I could want to get my hands on this sequel.

Happily, things pick up soon after where we left off, once again following Winnie Wednesday who used to be a pariah in her community, but now has everything she thought she ever wanted. Now might also be a good time to add, if you haven’t read The Luminaries yet, this review may contain possible spoilers for what happened in the first book, so make sure you’re caught up before continuing further. Following her stellar performance at the deadly hunter trials, she has become a local celebrity overnight. No longer is her family shunned by the rest of the town of Hemlock Falls because her father was found to be a spy for the enemy. Winnie’s induction into the ranks of the Luminaries’ most elite has wiped the slate clean, and along with her mother and brother, she has been accepted back into the arms of their ancient monster hunting society.

Yet, a part of Winnie is still troubled, grappling with what she saw in the woods the night of the trials. No one will listen to her, but she doesn’t think a werewolf is behind the brutal killings which have rocked the town in recent weeks. This mysterious entity, known as the Whisperer, is out there killing hunters and she’s only one of a handful who believe the werewolf might be innocent, might even have saved her life. The only person who can help her is Jay Friday, but he’s also as frustrating as ever, and Winnie can never be sure where she stands with him. Meanwhile, she is also investigating the notes her father left behind, leading her to wonder at everything she’s ever known about him. They say he betrayed his family by working for the Dianas before leaving to join them, but did he really?

As the story delves further into the escalating danger, dark secrets, and an entire town on edge, Winnie’s world is turned upside down as her very identity comes into question. The plot also spends a lot of time exploring her complicated relationship with Jay, her longtime close friend whom she still resents for turning his back on her along with the rest of the town when they were ostracized. In fact, this sequel deals extensively with the back-and-forth of their dynamic, and if Winnie’s relationship with Jay in the first book intrigued you, you’ll be happy to know this book advances it quite nicely.

But otherwise, The Hunting Moon has the distinct feel of a bridge book—we’re undoubtedly moving forward with the story on multiple fronts, but there wasn’t as much of a driving force behind this book compared to The Luminaries. Not that this wasn’t a good read, because it certainly shines in some respects. In my review for the previous book, I pointed out that Dennard appears to have left a lot up in the air for readers to speculate, which she may cover more in depth in future books. Indeed, more of the world is explored in this one, in particular the situation surrounding Winnie’s father and his involvement with the Dianas. Granted, there’s still a lot shrouded in secrecy, but I’m enjoying the mystery and the gradual reveals.

For that reason, some might say that the story takes its time to build, and I wouldn’t disagree. The pacing is noticeably less urgent, and Winnie’s attention is split between a million different things, which doesn’t help. Still, I understand that sometimes you just need a book that will push things forward and not much else.

In sum, The Hunting Moon was no earthshattering sequel, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t worth the read. While the action and pacing were more low-key, I think there were plenty of exciting developments to leave readers eager to see what will happen next. Once more we are left with a bit of a cliffhanger, and I will be waiting on pins and needles for the next installment.

More on The BiblioSanctum:
Review of The Luminaries (Book 1)