This book is a domestic satire about a lady called Holly Banks, who has just shifted to the much hyped and prized "Primm" village! How she copes with the ever energetic PTA head Margaret left us in splits in the 1st part.
The 2nd part shows her settled a month down in the village. Her relationship with her mother Greta and the way it evolvess towards the end is on a verge in this part.At the end there is no thing as a perfect mom, we all struggle in our own ways and at the end 'let it go' mantra matters. Holly's life is not much in progress in story,but her daily motions,chores, scuffles and her perspective to handle life is well portrayed.
This is a very light read and one can read it in one go. The matter is quite quirky and humorous. Such subjects are like delight to rather watch with good star cast as tele series than read maybe!

A wonderful, quirky fun novel about a woman finding her true path. Loved this one!

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude...I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you...we are in charge of our attitudes.”
― Charles Swindoll

I've always been one who struggles with change. I like routine, structure, predictability, control, but unfortunately, none of these things applies to a global pandemic. Since March, we have all had to roll with the punches. From becoming a lot more hands-on with our children's education and working remotely, to wearing face masks, sheltering in place, and weathering the ups and downs of something that, for many of us, is unprecedented, we've all been flying by the seat of our pants. I'm sure I'm not alone in saying that the last several months have been challenging and scary, but they've taught me a lot. I've learned that my family is resilient and stronger than I ever guessed and that our love for each other has grown. I've learned to trust my gut and not second-guess my decisions so much. And, I've been reminded that even though it may sometimes feel like the sky is falling and things are scary, often, these trying times help us remember what is most important and what we can control, and sometimes, books and people find you exactly when you need them.

That's how I felt on Friday, when I picked up The Peculiar Fate of Holly Banks by the biggest sweetheart of a writer, @julievaleriewrites. I absolutely fell in love with Holly Banks and Julie last fall, when I participated in a buddy read for Holly Banks Full of Angst. Julie's debut novel - and Holly, herself - spoke to my heart and soul as a mom. From doubting her own abilities, comparing herself to other moms, and feeling like she was always on the brink of disaster, I completely related to her plights and the fear she was completely messing up as a mom. I've so, so been there, and during this pandemic I've questioned my decisions as a mom even more, but just as they did last fall, both Julie and Holly spoke to my heart this month and gave me the pep talk and comfort I so desperately needed.

The Peculiar Fate of Holly Banks picks up about a week or so after Holly Banks Full of Angst ends. In this sequel, Holly is still on a mission to prove herself as a mom, filmmaker, wife, and a Village of Primm newcomer, but, per usual, Holly's life doesn't go according to plan. Amidst home improvement shenanigans, Ella's struggles to read, a kindergarten wedding, a home tour, some concerns with Holly's cat-doula of a mother, Greta, worries about her husband's job, AND attempts to get her film company off the ground while keeping up with the other Primm moms and trying to keep her dog, Struggle, under control, to say Holly has a lot on her plate is an understatement. But when some life-altering events turn her world upside down, Holly has to dig deep, put on her big girl panties, and discover just how strong she is.

With quick-witted dialogue, plenty of sarcasm, and both ridiculous and heartwarming moments, The Peculiar Fate of Holly Banks had lots of aspects of Julie's debut novel that I loved, but it also allowed Holly to evolve and experience a lot of personal growth. Though she was still trying to "keep up with the Joneses" and navigating her love/hate relationship with Mary-Margaret St. James, she also began to believe in herself more, and I couldn't help but feel proud. Though this book took just a bit longer to draw me in, with entertaining secondary plotlines and characters (including Houston, Shanequa, Malik, Thom, and Frank), as well as returning favorites (Ella, Greta, Jack, Penelope, Mary-Margaret and Psychic Betty!), once I was hooked, there was no turning back.

Whether laughing or crying (seriously, have the tissues ready because there are some heart-wrenching and heartwarming moments), this book tugged at my heartstrings as Holly navigated an array of challenges, and reaffirmed that Holly Banks is definitely one of my favorite book moms. She's relatable, flawed, and full of heart, and I can't help but see a lot of her in myself, especially in the way she loves her daughter, Ella.

"I'm a mom," said Holly. "If Ella needed to get to the moon, I'd build a rocket ship and become an astronaut if I thought it would help her."

Holly's not a perfect mom, wife, or daughter, but she's perfect for her family, and braver and stronger than she gives herself credit for. As Caleb says, "I believe you're going to tell great stories through your filmmaking, Holly Banks. You have a particular fate to fulfill. Walk toward that destiny."

Thank you so much to @julievaleriewrites and @lakeunionpub for an eARC of this book, as well as the opportunity to be on your early reader team, Julie! I absolutely loved watching Holly grow, and I can't wait to not only see what's next for her, but also what's next for you! If you loved Holly Banks Full of Angst, please pre-order this sequel because I think you'll love it! Hip hip for November 24 - mark it on your calendars because you won't want to miss this publication day!

I have always enjoyed stories laced with murder and poison, but I do not know if I have ever read these themes in a more poignant, thrilling story as Susan Penner’s, “The Lost Apothecary.” I found myself enthralled by the story and its themes, wanting to devour it all in one sitting.
This story is set in the past and the present, the past focusing on an old apothecary who, after a betrayal in her own past, sells poison to women whose husbands or mates have betrayed them in some way. Now she is so tightly bound to this life of holding onto other women’s dark secrets that she cannot find a peaceful way out. She usually sells to older women, so when a twelve-year-old girl by the name of Eliza comes into her shop one day, her already unstable life is thrown off the rails.
In the present, the story focuses on Caroline. She has held onto hopes and dreams for her whole life, but her life comes shattering to the ground when she discovers her husband’s infidelity. Distraught, Caroline goes to London to get away from her husband and reprioritize her life. While doing so, she delves into the secret of the lost apothecary, discovering the past of the women who sold poisons to get her mind off her own seemingly horrible future.
Penner combines the past and present so flawlessly in this story, where Caroline is discovering the past just as the apothecary and Eliza are stepping into an uncertain future. The ending held twists I never saw coming that thrilled me and kept me glued to the page. To anyone wanting to feel a little “girl power” in their life, this is definitely the book to read.

Reviewed by Bailey Day, author of “The Amazing Imagination Machine” by Suspense Publishing, an imprint of Suspense Magazine.

Your Review
Laura
Laura rated it really liked it
3 days ago
I love a book whose main character can approach drama with humor! It was a quite outlandish story but very entertaining and with great characters! Read full review


https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48663042-the-peculiar-fate-of-holly-banks

Julie Valerie's The Peculiar Fate of Holly Banks is a good summer read. Fun with funny zany characters. I wasn't familiar with the author and didn't realize this was part of a series, but it reads just fine as a stand-alone.

Another great book following the chaotic life of Holly Banks as she navigates her new little community of Primm. This time, Holly gets roped into a community wide treasure hunt after her wild dog ran out of the front door and dug up a valuable item for the city. As Holly lets her dog go on the city wide treasure hunt for more valuables, she encounters family drama, her house literally falling apart all while trying to launch her video production company. Leave it Holly to succeed and pull it all together amongst the community madness!

Holly Banks Full of Angst Is book one, and would enjoy this book more if you read it first. I enjoyed The Peculiar Fate of Holly Banks! more than the first book. I found myself chuckling more at Holly Banks' misfortunes and antics, but she had some tender moments too. This book seemed to flow better and held my interest more. I adored the wonderful zany characters in this book!
4 stars for zany Holly Banks!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher and author for an ARC of this book.The opinions expressed are my own

Receiving this as an ARC pushed me to read the first in the Village of Primm series, which I already had on my Kindle.
Where I liked book one, this one, I liked even more, as we got to know more about the quirky characters now a full-time part of Holly Banks' life since she moved to the Village of Primm with her family.
Holly's wayward dog, Struggle is the star of this one, unearthing local treasures in her digging frenzies when she gets out of the back yard, and this causes consternation for some, and huge excitement for others.
There is still this Stepford Wives quality to the women who live there, but we get to delve deeper into their characters.
An enjoyable read.
Many thanks to NetGalley. and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much to Julie Valerie and Lake Union Publishing for my gifted copy of The Peculiar Fate of Holly Banks! Fans of Valerie’s first book will be delighted with Holly’s return and her escapades trying to keep up with everyone in the Village of Primm.

Holly Banks is a character that you can tell Valerie has had fun with. In The Peculiar Fate of Holly Banks, I saw Holly display some great growth and really realize what was important in life, as various events in her life unfolded (trying not to give away spoilers here). Holly was definitely still busy trying to keep up with everyone else (and start her film company), but there was something in her that changed in this book.

Valerie does a fantastic job of keeping the reader interested throughout the entire book. There are multiple plot points that get intertwined, along with the fabulous cast of supporting characters you know and love from the first book. I was so happy to see Ella (Holly’s daughter) back, along with more drama from her school. That was a highly entertaining storyline for me!

If you like a book with a really interesting main character, you’ll enjoy this one (I put the full synopsis in the comments). I’d recommend reading the first book (Holly Banks, Full of Angst) to truly understand where Holly is coming from and her background with some of the characters, but I wouldn’t say that it’s 100% necessary.

Thanks so much to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for this copy of The Peculiar Fate of Holly Banks by Julie Valerie, which Publishes November 24, 2020.
I just finished The Peculiar Fate of Holly Banks, and I loved it so very much. The way Julie Valerie braids humor, heart and real-life stress together is magical, inspiring, stressful and impossible to put down. I relate to Holly so much and I really appreciate watching her growth. I’m so grateful that she wrote a follow-up to the wonderful Holly Banks Full of Angst! Truly two of the best books I’ve read in 2020!
This book will bring you both tears of laughter and sorrow. Have you cracking up and choked up within pages. The mixed media is used perfectly, I think it’s very modern, but not overdone here.

I wanted to read this book after seeing so many good reviews about the previous book 'Holly Banks Full of Angst'. I have not read that one yet, and I didn't feel lost reading this one. I will however definitely be buying Holly Bank Full of Angst after loving this book.

I wasn't sure what to expect from this story, I was pleasantly surprised. I love the character of Holly Banks and all of the other characters. I loved the friendships that were formed, I loved the community and village of Primm that they lived in. I also enjoyed the inclusion of mystery and adventure infused within the story.

I found this to be an absolutely sweet, heartfelt, well written story. The dialogue was excellent and the pace of the story was good.

This book was so pleasant to read. I loved the writing style and will absolutely be reading from this author again.

I’ve just finished this book ‘The Peculiar Fate or Holly Banks’ by Julie Valerie and am contemplating what a very apt title it is. Set in America, the story tells of the first few months of Holly and her family’s life in a new house on an ‘upwardly mobile’ estate. A tale of aspirations to better oneself, sometimes thrown by the desire to the same as your counterparts, it’s a spritely fast moving lesson in success (and failure). As a british native I don’t always find American text as easy to read as I would like but this was engaging and intriguing as well as entertaining and kept me reading to the end. Sprinkled with familiar cosy subject matters such as dogs, children, annoying and crazy neighbours, which sit neatly alongside more bizarre content such as flying machines and kindergarten weddings, it’s a heart warming tale, that gently nudges your faith in fate. Persevere through the America references and you’ll be rewarded for completing this reassuring tale.

After reading Holly Banks prior to this, this sequel was a bit of a let down.
Holly is the suburban mom trying to make it work and live up to the rest of the neighborhood moms. It sucks. I’ve been there. You have left your ‘old adult life’ behind and now you are a mom competing with others for who has the best appetizers, most gorgeous couch, nicely decorated family room, best dressed kid...it’s endless. Holly struggles again in this book with the same- finally gaining some self acceptance at the end. Hallelujah!
Not as many belly laughs or fun mom moments though...

Such a fun read!! Holly wants to have it all but finds herself stumbling from one misadventure to the next. She is anxious to fit in and eager to please; Holly is also an endearing and quirky character. The novel is an entertaining, light read with enough turns to keep the reader engaged. I give this one 2 thumbs up, recommend. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC.

I really enjoyed Holly Banks Full of Angst by Julie Valerie so I was very excited to receive an advanced copy of The Peculiar Fate of Holly Banks. I love created towns and The Village of Primm where Holly lives is charming, fun, and living in it is the most creative, funny, and endearing characters! In The Peculiar Fate of Holly Banks, Holly continues her film making career, deals with cat doula mom, Greta, and continues her love-hate relationship with Mary-Margaret, the PTA president. Then there’s a decades old mystery unearthed by Struggle, Holly’s ore sniffing lab.

This second book of Ms. Valerie’s, Village of Primm series was just fun! Light hearted, easy, warm fun! It reminded me a lot of Mary Kay Andrews books which I adore!

I want more so I hope there’s a third book to come. Thank you to #netgalley and #lakeunionpublishing for the advanced e-copy of #thepeculiarfateofhollybanks!

Holly Banks is on a desperate mission to have it all, but nothing in life goes according to plan. She’s quickly learning that keeping up with the Joneses is a full-time job, especially when the women of Primm, her new neighborhood, seem to have it together all the time.

I have not read the first book to this series. But I really loved this novel.!

I enjoyed the small town life. And the characters are really lovable..
I fell in love with Holly and her role she played.

I would totally recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good quirky cute book!

I liked this book better than the first. Couldn't put it down. A must read for those who can relate to the normal events in a mothers world. As usual Holly Banks give us laughs, is related and is a must read

Everything is going wrong for Holly Banks. She’s new to the Village of Primm and trying to adjust but it seems like she’s the only one with a messy life. When her dog gets out and digs up a yard, exposing a decades-old mystery, the ever-watchful homeowner’s association issues a chastising note. Her spirited five-year-old daughter fails a pre-pre-reading kindergarten test, causing concerns. As the story keeps rolling along, Holly and her husband overcome obstacles, triumphing in the end. I enjoyed reading this fun frolic through small town life and rooted for Holly, a young mother finding her way in a new community and struggling with her identity after sending her daughter to school. The fact that Holly is a filmmaker made the book more interesting. The perfect ending was filled with hope and tied up loose ends while leaving threads to unravel in future books. What I didn’t like: In the last part of the book, I enjoyed reading the first three or four life lessons/inspirational messages but by the seventh one, it felt preachy and like too many were packed into the last 100 pages. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really could not get to grips with this book to start with; it is far too 'American' in it's vocabulary' I haven't read any others in the Holly Banks series and it just seemed so twee. However, I persevered, I never like to give up on a book when the author has gone to so much trouble, and I'm glad I did.

About a third of the way in I realised that Holly was starting to grow on me. I enjoyed the authenticity of the characters' speech and the underlying thoughts which often ran parallel.

Now I am sad that I have finished this book as I want to know more about Ella and Greta and whether Jack finds a job. But I am still uncertain about the enclave in which they live and their sometimes incredible (unbelievable?) neighbours.

My thanks to Netgalley for my introduction to Holly Banks via Julie Valerie.