The Peculiar Fate of Holly Banks is the funny and charming follow-up book to Holly Banks Full of Angst by Julie Valerie. It takes us to Primm Village, where Holly Banks finds herself in the middle of a mystery between two rival towns. And, Holly already has more than enough problems with trying to keep up appearances in her neighborhood and her own family issues.

This book is for anyone who struggles with feeling like they are juggling to keep it all together.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

The book starts right where the first one ended. The book is similar to the first one where Holly deals with motherhood, community, family, and everything in between! There’s a nice little mystery in this book which I loved and I dare say this book is funnier. You really see Holly’s personal growth in this book and can totally relate to some of her struggles as a person that wants to do it all and be the perfect mom, wife, and daughter! Some of the old characters were back again, but I was happy to see that Holly had made some new friends in this book!
My favorite part in the book was when her daughter had to pretend marry and her husband had to give her away. It was so cute!

Holly Banks is one of my favorite characters! I found myself cheering for her, cringing with her, crying with her...

This newest story starts up immediately following the first book's adventures. It was such fun to dive right into Holly's life in Primm again. This book could be read as a standalone, but it was definitely more enjoyable to read after the first.

I loved how this book showed Holly's growth as a person in her many different roles : daughter, sister, wife, mother, friend, entrepreneur. A big plus for me was the "clean" aspect - no swearing or sex. Hip, hip, Holly!!!

Book 2 in the Holly Banks series takes us back to the Village of Primm. Holly is starting to hit her stride, or at least she’s managing to get her daughter on the bus in the morning. Holly has high hopes for her life in Primm, including the picture-perfect home, the ideal family, and the dream job. But as the family dog digs up artifacts that threaten the very existence of the village, Holly faces a plethora of disasters that threaten her very sanity. Will she manage to overcome the obstacles, and live the perfect suburban life?

This book is a fun, lighthearted look at village life, and mom realities. These characters would play out well on a television show, with some fairly stereotypical sit-com identities. A nice break between heavier reads.

Fast paced book and I really enjoyed it. Good story line and I think people are gonna love it. I would definitely read again and recommend

The Peculiar Fate of Holly Banks by Julie Valerie
Book #2: Village of Primm Series
Source: NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing
Rating: 4/5 stars

**SPOILERS FOR BOOK ONE**

Inexplicably, Holly Banks has survived the first month-ish in her new town, new home, and new community. Her mother is still in residence and acting weird, her daughter has mostly settled into Kindergarten, and Holly is looking to take back her life and put her film degree to good use.

In Holly’s mind, she will launch a small film studio out of her kitchen and help the surrounding communities with their photographic, filming, and advertising needs. All Holly needs is to clear out the kitchen, get a small business loan, buy all the equipment, and start marketing her skills to her friends and neighbors. With her daughter in school all day, her husband away at work, and her mother expanding her social circle, Holly has time to accomplish all her goals.

Here’s the rub . . . .

Holly’s daughter is away at school all day, but she is at a very unique school that expects above and beyond from both students and parents alike. Her mother is acting stranger than normal, and her husband is suddenly and mysteriously sick and staying home. Additionally, Holly’s wayward dog, Struggle continues to sneak out of the house and cause all sorts of mischief in the neighborhood and Mary-Margaret, Holly’s nemesis has gone into hiding when the Village of Primm needs her most.

Yes, the Village of Primm is on the verge of collapse and financial ruin if the newsletter and texts are to be believed. The beloved botanical garden has been blow-torched and now all the plants have to be reseeded, replanted, and regrown. Without the botanical garden, the community has lost one of its largest sources of income. A lack of tourists and income means a marked lack of sales for other local businesses and the overall lowering of property values. Did I mention it has become Holly’s job to fix all these issues all while trying to balance and organizing and improve her own life?

As always, Holly goes about things in the way she always does, with sheer panic and a sense of being totally out of control. First up is trying to coax a devastated and humiliated Mary-Margaret out her she shed; next up is trying to decide if Struggle can be used to help solve a local town mystery; third up is organizing her daughter’s Kindergarten wedding; and finally, there is the small matter of overcoming her fear of flying to capture footage that will help launch her business and save the Village of Primm. Absolutely no pressure 😊

The Bottom Line: While I didn’t love this story as much as the first, I am still very drawn to the character that is Holly Banks. Bless her heart, Holly has a way of getting pulled into situations not of her own making, immediately committing some huge faux pas, and then finding a way to save the day for everyone. If you don’t laugh at the situations Holly finds herself in, you’re going to cry at the absolute overwhelming nature of the events. Knowing everyone is going to come out a little worse for wear, but ultimately fine helps tremendously when starting this series. I realize these two books haven’t fared well on Goodreads, but I have found them to be quite entertaining and certainly worth a go.

This is the sequel to Holly Banks Full of Angst, but can definitely be read as a standalone – which is what I did. At the beginning I was really intrigued about where the story was taking me. We were following a family in a new town, trying to deal with everything that comes with it, and Holly who is trying to get back to film making.

Unfortunately, I had a bit of a hard time finishing this one. Some parts were quite interesting and I didn’t want to stop reading, and then other ones felt really repetitive. I didn’t see much growth at all from the characters, specially Holly herself, and, although I had a few laughs, I am probably not picking up the rest of the series.

If you are looking for a quick to read, fun story, that mixes multiple plot lines, and want to know more about the so acclaimed village of Prim, maybe consider picking this one up!

2.5/3 stars

The Peculiar Fate of Holly Banks. This is the second in a series that publishes November 24 (thanks for my copy @lakeunionauthors) and picks off immediately from where the first one ends off. Holly Banks and her family just moved to Prim so their daughter could attend the highly rated Prim Academy and she is still trying to find her way in a new house, new town, new role. Her daughter has been in school for a few weeks, her mother is around for an extended stay and Holly Banks is ready to get back to film making.
Of course this wouldn’t be a Holly Banks novel without some hilarious hi jinx, a crazy group of neighbours and some bizarre choices made all around. I said after the first one that this needs to be a sitcom and I stand by that assessment with the second book as well.

Thank you to Netgalley and Lake Union for the opportunity to read and review this book!

This book is the second book in the Village of Prim series. This book picks up right where the previous novel, Holly Banks Full of Angst left off. If you love laugh-out-loud novels about friendship, what it means to be a part of a community, and the life of a stressed out mother, this is the book for you!

One of my only wishes for the next novel in the series is for some further character development of the main character and some of the repeat characters across the novels. Their storyline is endearing and I want to learn more!

I was able to read this book thanks to NetGalley. I enjoyed this sequel as much as I did the first. It was a quick snd fun read for me and I liked the plot snd writing style. Thanks again to NetGalley foe the chance to read and review this book.

We pick up right where we left off in book 1. In The Peculiar Fate of Holly Banks, we see more of a struggle. Holly is attempting to get back into her love of filmmaking, then it backfires.

The author makes you feel attached to each of her characters, I didn’t want it to end! Such a fun and entertaining story.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the digital ARC!

I read Holly Banks is Full of Angst last December when I was in the midst of year end deals and so stressed and it was the perfect stress relief. So when I heard that the sequel was coming out in the middle of 2020, I squealed with delight! The Peculiar Fate of Holly Banks picks up a month later when Holly is finally finding her way in the Village of Primm after the drama with the topiary and getting her daughter settled at Primm Academy. However, when she thinks things are calming down, chaos ensues with home repairs, her daughter’s struggles to read, her husband’s job in flux and her mother’s ridiculous antics. Oh, and the dog dug up an old artifact and caused a media circus going on. This was like being reunited with an old friend. The same quirkiness of the Stars Hollow like town is back, the late night emails with the online psychic continue, the school drama is still so entertaining, and the hilarity and outrageousness that follows Holly around is back with a vengeance. I just loved watching Holly find her independence, follow her dreams and launch her own career. And on top of all of this, there were such sincere and sweet moments between Holly and her mom that brought me to tears. More than once. I absolutely love everything about this world that @julievalerieauthor creates that has so much warmth, love, silliness and comedy. Oh, how I needed this laughter and love in my life right now. We all need some Holly Banks right now.

Holly Banks is back in the second book of the Village of Primm series, with new and creative antics, along with the worst luck due anyone. Struggle, her family dog sniffs out and digs up an old artifact that could change the water use rights, and life in the Village of Primm forever. This grabs the wrong type of attention with the local media, when Holly would rather be presenting her new business, Holly Banks Productions. Holly decides to join the Parade of Homes to raise money to restore beloved Plume, who was destroyed by a infestation of insects not native to the town. Of course things can’t be that easy for Holly, as she soon finds a water leak preventing her participation in the tour and then finds out her husband might lose his job. Holly must find a way to pull it together and keep up her image in Primm, for her family and her new business.

While I found this edition funny, entertaining, and great as a stand alone, I was a bit disappointed in the lack of growth of any of the characters from the first novel. I was extremely excited to read this sequel, but so much occurs between the beginning and end that it’s quite unbelievable and unrealistic. Holly is her positive, strong, hard working self, but you would think that she’d learn to tackle some of these challenges a little better than the same old ways as the first novel.

This book was too much for me. I loved the premise and while it was light hearted and fun it was just too much. The action was all over the place there was so much dialogue and stream of consciousness, then there were the epistolary parts and honestly trying to read it just made my head spin. I did not finish this book.

This is the second book in the series. I have not read the first yet but it seems like you don't need to read it first to understand the relationships. There is enough backstory and setup to introduce you to the Town of Primm and Holly's life there.
Though there seems like way more misadventures and peculiar happenings were going on in that book that you might want to check it out to find out the origin.
There was so much happening in this book and seriously I can relate. The juggle is real!! I may not have the homeowners stress and Kindergartners wedding to plan. But there is so much pressure as a stay at home Mom trying to get back in the workforce in a new community. The stress of being a perfect mother, daughter, friend, wife, person, worker, etc. It's so overwhelming. Sometimes it feels good to just accomplish being one of those in a day.
Her new expensive house is having issues, there's some health issues in the family, there's a huge mystery in the town with some property rights with the town nearby that she gets thrown into. Her dog who keeps getting away from her ends up being the one that helps with this mystery.
I totally feel Holly with the plumbing issues, in the last year we have had two freak water pipe issues where there have been leaks in our walls. The unit above us was being renovated and we had water coming through our light in our bathroom and a huge bubble over our vanity. I would've liked the what they gave her I think the rental office gave us a $50 gift card!
This was definitely a non-stop adventure through a stage of rebirth in Holly's life finding herself again, finding her art, creating a company, finding her center, being the Pinterest worthy mom (just kidding, that doesn't exist).

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟💫

Thank you Net Galley and Lake Union Publishing for the arc copy for my honest and voluntary review!

"Look out your window from time to time. Step outside and look up. Miraculous things surround you." - Psychic Betty

The Peculiar Fate of Holly Banks is everything I wanted to the follow up of the magnificent Holly Banks Full of Angst to be. This sequel takes place a week after the previous book ended and it picks up seamlessly. She is still trying to keep up with her neighbors, her mom's health crisis, and a workplace scandal of her husband. This book is a great combination of hearttouching emotional subject matter mixed with great wit and sarcasm.

Starting a week after the previous book ended it is like we never left Holly's crazy world. She is still trying to keep up with her rich fancy schmancy neighbors while navigating her daughter's learning disability, her husband's workplace scandal, starting her film company, wrangling her mischief dog Struggle to behave, a town mystery that Struggle literally dug up and, most poignantly, her mom's health crisis.

Like the last book Holly's journey is filled with laughter, sarcasm, witticisms but it also will touch your heart as Holly, with the help of one of my favorite characters Psychic Betty navigates through the trials and tribulations of her life. .

I received a free copy of this book from the author via NetGalley and I thank them for this opportunity.

Don't you just love when you can relate and root for the characters in a book? My probably would be BFF Holly Banks is back and trying to navigate and settle into the perfect Village of Primm.

I love that all the shenanigans, daily mishaps, hilarious remarks and inner monolgue is all here in book 2!

Extra points for the indepth Scrabble mention. Enjoy as a standalone or pick up Holly Banks Full of Angst to get the full Primm.

Thank you to @julievalerieauthor for the gifted copy!

I was not a huge fan of the first book but had heard great things about both books in this series. It was just as hard for me to get into as the first. The author is great at details and making you feel like you are there. I love that and can appreciate that about this series. However I felt like while it was detailed it was very scatter brained and confusing. I felt myself struggling to follow along.

Thank you netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.

This is the second book in the Village of Primm series. I read the first book last December as a OUABC selection. This book takes place just a week or so after the end of the first book. Once again Holly Banks finds herself in the middle of a mystery. Her chocolate lab Struggle digs up a lost artifact and the chaos ensues.
I gave this book a 3star because it still was a meh storyline to me, a little better than the first but not that engaging to me. I think I need to look at this series almost like a cozy, but just without murder. I liked that the characters stayed true to the writing from the first book, as it took place so soon after the first book that felt really important to me. The sarcasm was toned down a little bit, which I admit I was a little sad about. But Valerie still didn’t take her created world seriously which did make it fun. I don’t love these books, but I will still probably continue with the series which is a solid series.

Holly Banks is just settling into life in a new place, with a new house, and trying to start her own business when she is dragged into a town mystery by her ore-sniffing dog. All of her best laid plans are beginning to fall apart around her as she juggles being a mother, a daughter, and am entrepreneur in the whimsical Village of Primm.

I LOVED the character of Holly and totally relate to her trying to carve her own path in life. There was a lot going on in this book so it was a little confusing at times trying to keep all of the plot lines straight. The town was also super quirky which was fun to read, but in my opinion also made some of the plot pints a little too out there and took me out of the story. Overall, I enjoyed reading this and I thought it was fun but it was a little all-over-the-place.

Thank you Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for an advanced copy of this book, but as always all opinions are my own!