The Luminaries

More about the book

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Witchlands series comes a gripping contemporary fantasy about confronting fears in a perilous forest and uncovering family secrets. An Instant New York Times Bestseller, this title has also been recognized as a Barnes & Noble YA Book Club Pick, an Indigo Best Teen Book of 2022, and a Junior Library Guild Pick. Hemlock Falls is unlike any other town; it’s off the map, your phone won’t work, and the surrounding forest is deadly. Winnie Wednesday aspires to join the Luminaries, an ancient order dedicated to protecting her town and humanity from the monsters that emerge nightly from the woods. Since her father was revealed as a witch and traitor, Winnie and her family have faced ostracism. On her sixteenth birthday, she has the chance to prove her loyalty by surviving the perilous Luminary hunter trials and restoring her family’s honor—or die trying. To succeed, Winnie seeks help from Jay Friday, her ex-best friend and the town's resident bad boy. Though he’s a promising new hunter, Jay harbors secrets about the forest’s nightmares. Together, they will confront a lurking danger that threatens Hemlock Falls. Not all monsters can be defeated, and some nightmares extend beyond the shadows.