I was lucky enough to receive an advanced E-Copy of Holly Banks Full of Angst and I’m so happy I had the opportunity to read this book. It was funny (really laugh out loud, funny) relatable and entertaining.

Holly Banks’ family has just moved to the prestigious town of Primm. Where the lawns are manicured, the schools are notable and the PTA is full of “perfect” moms. Holly’s daughter Emma is starting kindergarten and thus begins the start of chaos. Holly just wants to be a good mom and in second-guessing herself and being intimidated by the other moms, she clumsily navigates her way through Ella’s first week of school.

I really loved this book. Holly was so relatable. I saw myself in her and other characters. It was a funny look into being a mom and constantly second guessing whether you’re doing things right all while comparing yourself to other seemingly perfect moms. I would highly recommend this book!

Sn: To all the Mary-Margaret’s, sports bras do not make your ta-tas look like blah-blahs!

Thanks so much Julie Valerie and Netgalley for my copy.

This was such a fun read, and I loved how relatable the characters were. Julie Valorie really captures what it feels like to be a good mom, but to still feel like you don’t always measure up. The story is well paced, and I absolutely love Julie’s writing style - I laughed out loud as I read Holly’s inner monologues and emails to Psychic Betty. I don’t think it’s easy to write in a way that’s comical but still meaningful, but Julie has pulled it off.

Overall, a playful and enjoyable read that I would recommend to anyone - but especially mothers everywhere! A big thank you to Julie Valorie, Netgalley and Lakehouse Publishing for an advance copy of this book.

Holly Banks moves to the perfect suburb of Primm. Every house is perfect, every school mom
Is perfect , Holly is trying to survive and be herself.
But it’s do hard when you need to donate , gluten free, peanut free, non gmo, vegetarian, snacks to your kids school .
This book was a hilarious look at

This has gotten great reviews on Instagram, but it wasn't for me. I did not love the character of Holly Banks and did not agree with some of her decisions/actions. I thought she had a lot of excuses and poor behavior and just did not think very highly of her and ended up DNF-ing after she spit food out at another mom, in her daughter's school, and did not clean it up. Thank you for the opportunity.

Thank you Julie Valerie and Netgalley for the advanced copy.

OK, I don't even know where to start with this review! It was hilarious and is a must read for any mom striving to keep up with those other perfect PTA moms (you know who they are). I found myself snort laughing so often because not only was the book funny, but I could relate to Holly Banks in so many ways.

Holly moves to a new neighborhood, the Village of Primm, which I pictured as one of those picture perfect wealthy communities in Connecticut or the suburbs of NYC. Where the moms wear designer workout clothes, drive designer SUVS, have perfectly perfect houses and kids and husbands. So anyway, Holly moves in and her daughter immediately starts kindergarten...so Holly is thrown into the world of...PTA moms. Specifically Mary-Margaret St. James, who I wanted to throat punch approximately 394873985723045720 times before the end of the book. She was an AWESOMELY awful character, stereotypical crazy ass PTA president. Loved it.

Anyway, Holly has to navigate a new town, a new lifestyle, a new school, and is quite the hot mess doing so. I will definitely recommend this book to anyone wanting a good laugh! The best part is that I could totally see this happening in real life...that's how nuts some people can be!

This is a perfect book for any young mother who is new in town, who feels like she can't do anything right, finds herself faced with perfect PTA Moms who expect over the top volunteer help. Holly Banks has recently moved into the perfect town of Primm. Mary Margaret is the perfect PTA president, totally outrageous and you might want to smack her. The whole situation will make you cringe, but you can't help but laugh at the overwhelming ridiculous tasks assigned to Holly and then - wait- how she handles things - you will wonder what could possibly top this or happen next. The first day of kindergarten for her daughter Ella is not what any mother would want to happen. Although a bit long with descriptive and unbelievable events, you are sure to like this witty, hilarious satire.

This was such a fun read! I thoroughly enjoyed Holly's exploits as a mom in a new, upscale community. I could completely relate to her feeling out of place and not being the artsy craftsy uber perfect mom that so many of the other women seem to be.

Before school even starts she makes a fearsome enemy in Mary-Margaret St. James, the PTA president who rules with an iron fist. Then she hits a school bus on the first day of school - while wearing her pink piggy pajama bottoms. And it all goes downhill from there.

This is one of the funniest and sweetest stories I've read this year. Whether it's eating too many cookies, trying to get her kindergartner to stop sucking her thumb or dealing with her free-spirit and completely irresponsible mother, Holly is hilarious and sweet and unassuming. She is also smart and determined to make the most of it as she faces one obstacle after another.

I enjoyed Holly's inner monologues and how she imagined her life might look on the big screen. She is, after all, a filmmaker at heart. This was such a fun, lighthearted, and enjoyable read that I sped right through it. Yet it also offers pointed commentary about parenting and being the "perfect" mother as well.

I loved this book! Julie has done a fantastic job. The narrative of the main character Holly was witty with internal monologue and external banter that reminded me of Lorelei Gilmore. The village of Primm and it’s utopia likeness reminded me of Big Little Lies. I cannot wait until the sequel! Hip Hip!

Thank you to the author Julie Valerie for a copy of her book Holly Banks Is Full of Angst for an honest review. Available December 1, 2019.

Holly Banks Full Of Angst was a funny and heartwarming look into a community as well as motherhood. Holly Banks moves into a new neighbourhood days before her daughter starts Kindergarten. They chose the house because it’s near one of the best schools and the head of the PTA is the reason. She is controlling and demands many hours of volunteer work from her minions. Holly Banks is tries to avoid it but there is no avoiding Mary-Margaret St. James!! As a mom with a son in Kindergarten who also avoids volunteering in class like the plague, I really related to this one! It was funny and highlights some of the mothering experiences that I am not fond of, people giving me “helpful” advice about what I’m doing wrong. Funny and interesting, the only reason I am not giving it 5 stars is because I felt it was a tiny bit too long and skimmed a bit in the middle. Other than that, I really enjoyed it and would recommend it to any one looking for a funny and light read this holiday season!

After finishing 2 thrillers, I was due for a light fun read. Holly Banks Full of Angst didn’t disappoint and was just that, plus more. This book had me laughing loudly in parts and totally relating to Holly when she took on too much (as most of us mums seem to do!).

After moving to a new town, Holly tries to fit in but when her daughter misses the bus on the first day of kindergarten and the school’s PTA president seems to have it in for her, Holly knows it isn’t going to be easy. Add to that the worry of her 5 year old daughter still sucking her thumb, her husband spending too much time with his female coworker and her mum’s constant need to borrow money and you have yourself the making of this fun novel.

Thanks so much to the author, Netgalley and the publisher for my complimentary copy of this book.

This book releases early December and I can’t recommend it enough.

I would like to thank Julie Valerie, Lake Union Publishing, and NetGalley for a free advanced electronic copy of this book.

Holly Banks Full of Angst is a must-read for any mother who has felt the pressure to be perfect. This book was unputdownable and the most laugh-out-loud funny book that I have probably ever read. The main character, Holly, is completely relatable. As the mother of a 5 year old son who just started kindergarten this year, I have felt the way Holly feels too many times to count. This book follows Holly Banks' life during the first week of her daughter, Ella, starting kindergarten. The Banks family is new to The Village of Primm and Holly is completely unprepared for the pressure of being a school mom.

Holly is every mother I've ever known. She feels inadequate, she feels like she is doing everything wrong, she thinks everything she says or does will ruin her daughter forever. This is one of the things I love about this book. Julie Valerie really captured that feeling that so many of us mothers have - that we aren't good enough. She was able to create a character who, despite all of her shortcomings, is an amazing, loving, and caring mother; she created a character for all of the not-good-enough-moms to look up to. She shows us that it's okay not to be a perfect baker or super crafty or for your house to be Pinterest-worthy. What matters is your family and those closest to you.

I want to talk about a few of the characters because they were so well developed and each added their own special touch to the story.

Holly. Is. Hilarious. I have not laughed this hard in such a long time. I laughed out loud so many times while reading that my kids and husband kept looking at me like I was crazy. Surprisingly, Holly doesn't curse. So the things she comes up with to replace phrases that typically have curse words are so funny.

Mary-Margaret St. James. The PTA president. The perfect mom. The crafty mom. The mom that bakes and sews and does it all. The mom that makes you feel guilty for not being all of those things. I picture Mary-Margaret with a nasal, whiny, shrill voice. I don't know why Holly didn't throat punch her at some point during this book. She is the epitome of a "mean girl".

Greta. Holly's mother. She's a free spirit, sort of a hippie. Holly didn't have the best memories of her childhood because her mother had been an alcoholic and a gambler. But she is actually the sweetest person who adores her daughter and granddaughter and wants to do everything in her power to help Holly feel welcome in Primm.

This was one of the most fun and lighthearted books I've read in a while and I suggest getting the hello-kitty onto Amazon and preordering a copy right now!

I will edit to add links when I post onto my blog and retail sites.

Holly Banks is ready to settle in to her new home in the quaint Village of Prim .

Everything is so perfect in Prim! Beautiful homes, Pintrest porches and scrapbooking, pie making, PTA Moms.

Holly on the other hand is stressed out with unpacking, getting her daughter ready for Kindergarten, keeping up with her mother’s gambling antics… oh yea and wondering if her husband is having an affair. Holly’s adventures as she tries to fit into her new community get more and more hilarious and outrageous. I really enjoyed Holly’s inner monologues and found myself giggling and laughing out loud.
A sweet, funny, lighthearted read!
I’ll look forward to the next book in the Village of Primm series!

Rating: 4.5/5

I received a complimentary copy to read and review. Thank you to Julie Valerie, Lake Union Publishing and Netgalley for the advanced electronic copy!

HOLLY BANKS IS FULL OF ANGST by Julie Valerie is about Holly Banks, as you might assume from the title. Holly has recently moved to a new home in a new community, the Village of Primm for her husband's work. this is a high maintenance community and things really don't start off going Holly's way. Late for her only child's first day of kindergarten, Holly decides to handle the missed bus by taking her daughter to school. Unfortunately, wearing her piggie pajamas while doing so turns out to be a mistake and her unfortunate wardrobe choice becomes the talk of the school.

Holly is trying to find her place in this "perfect" community where the school is ruled by an uptight PTA tyrant. Her house is still full of unpacked boxes, decor that is a far cry from that of the pinterest famous decorator who owned the home before her. Her husband is working a lot of hours and acting a little oddly which leaves her to wonder what is going on with him. Her daughter is inconsolable over the idea of going to school. Things are just not going Holly's way and the town is in the middle of a mystery of its own too.

This book was such a fun and funny read, one that elicited more than a few laughs from me along the way. Holly's inner monologues and fantasies, often presented in the form of snippets of film scripts putting Holly's life on the big screen, are quirky and full of humor. The people that make up this town and Holly's family are the perfect cast of characters for her drama! More than once I found myself wanting to punch Holly's angst inducing nemesis, the queen and tyrant of the PTA!

I had wondered early on whether this book would be a good fit for me, not having the motherhood connection with Holly. As it turns out, I need not have worried at all! While many of the situations Holly faces in the book are particular to the life of a wife and mother, the general feelings of angst in a life that can be at times overwhelming where nothing goes your way is something I think we've all felt a time or too. This is our chance to see it play out in the life of someone else in an entirely hilarious way!

If you are looking for a good, funny, feel good read, you will want to add HOLLY BANKS IS FULL OF ANGST to your TBR! This book will be out on December 1, 2019!

Review will be posted to my blog and bookstagram on 10/19. I will update with links shortly thereafter.

“If my life were written onto the pages of a Little Golden Book, its tittle would read The Little Mommy That Couldn’t.”
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Holly has just moved to a new town where she doesn’t know anyone, on her daughters first day of kindergarten they miss the school bus, and she drives her in her pijama bottoms, making the worst first impression with the perfect moms on the community.
Holly Banks Full Of Angst is a suburban satire full of silly, laugh out loud and sometimes ridiculous situations about motherhood.
It was a relatable, funny and sweet read.
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Thank you Julie Valerie , NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for giving me a copy of your book in exchange for an honest review.
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Holly Banks Full Of Angst by Julie Valerie releases December 1, 2019.
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“No one can do everything, but everyone can do something.”
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“All moms are influential. Moms are probably the most influential people on the planet.”
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“If I learned anything this week, it’s this: nothing’s permanent; everything changes. And there’s more than one word for happy.”
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http://www.instagram.com/booksandcoffeepleasemx

This one was definitely a five star easily for me! I loved this book so much and I will be rereading it again! As you follow Holly Banks’s day to day you will find yourself relating to her and laughing out loud! This is one of those books that you will not want to put down! You will want to know what crazy thing is going to happen to Holly next! As a mom reading this book I can appreciate and relate to pretty much everything Holly goes through and how hard she try’s to be a great mom and do what’s best for her family. This book definitely makes u realize that we as moms are trying our best the best we know how. Maybe not be so hard on each other. I loved this amazing story and writing in this book will definitely keep you up reading all night long!

Thank you so much Julie Valerie, netgalley and lake Union Authors for the opportunity to read this advance copy of this novel!.
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Holly Banks Full of Angst will be available December 1st 2019!!

What a fun and refreshing read!!!!

Julie Valerie’s debut novel is a MUST read! She captured the Holly’s struggle with adapting to a new town with its own rules for PTA participation, school manuals, drop offs, AND oh the “is my husband cheating me” saga in a that made you giggle throughout the entire book. I enjoyed the beginning, middle, and end....and the plot twist that’s comes from no where that keeps you from putting down the book!

Wonderful book! Can’t wait for the other books to be published in this Primm town!

Have you ever met women that seem to have it all together and you feel like you’re literally being held together by the peanut butter smeared on your jeans? If so, you are going to love Holly Banks.

Welcome to the Village of Primm, where porches look like a Pinterest post and the town has their very own giant topiary peahen, named Plume. Holly and her family have just moved into this uppity community and Holly isn’t making a great first impression, chasing her daughter’s bus in piggy pjs, then rear-ending a school bus, and sitting in the principal’s office all on the first day of school. Holly soon finds herself wrangling with the narcissistic PTA President Mary-Margaret, who wants Holly to volunteer, be involved, and bring cupcakes. Instead, Holly is sneaking out of meetings on her hands and knees and throwing up in scrapbooking swap bags.

Holly isn’t sure if it’s her or her My Little Pony loving daughter that has to adjust to kindergarten. All the while, she is trying to not let the fact that her husband’s gorgeous boss is eating fries off his plate drive her nuts. And how did she get volunteered to bake thirteen pies, or did she offer? Why is the cable guy giving her parenting advice? As if things couldn’t get crazier, Holly’s screwball mother blows in. Holly is feeling like the worst mother in the world; she even turns to Psychic Betty on the internet for advice and in a sad, desperate way friendship. Holly then, in her “hollyish ways,” finds herself in the middle of a scandalous mystery that reveals that not all Pinterest perfect lives are what they seem.

I literally laughed out loud quite a few times while reading this book. Holly is as real as it comes. I love it when we hear her thoughts, and honestly, her thoughts are what we are all thinking. If you’re a wife, a mother, a grandmother, even a husband, you will find this book funny, fresh and heartwarming.

Thank you to @Julievalerieauthor, @lakeunionauthors, and @netgallery for this ARC for review.

Watch for this book December 1, 2019

Holly Banks Full of Angst was exactly what I needed when I picked it up! A huge thank you to the author ( who is the absolute sweetest ) NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for allowing me to read this book prior to the release date.


From beginning to end this book was delightful and laugh out loud hilarious. I adored every single character but of course Holly was my favorite and the most relatable. Holly is a mom trying to adjust to a lot of changes. She’s moved into a new town where she doesn’t know anyone and is also trying to adjust to sending her daughter off to kindergarten.
In doing so she also finds herself intertwined with the schools PTA. Lots of drama and shenanigans soon follow and as I was reading this it was translating into the best sitcom inside my head.


All that said- you don’t have to be a mom to relate to Holly Banks. You just have to love the people around you and want what is best for them. That’s Holly in a nutshell.


I definitely recommend this book to everyone. I already have someone I want to gift this book to upon its release ( December 1, 2019) and I cannot wait to see what this author writes next.

“Apple pies are too easy for this town,” Greta said. “If it was easy— it wouldn’t be Primm.”

What was the last book you read that made you laugh out loud? Well, Holly Banks Full of Angst by Julie Valerie was just that read for me! Holly Banks and her family have just moved to the community of Primm, with its prime real estate and highly sought-after school system. During her 5 year old’s first week of Kindergarten, Holly faces a multitude of mishaps: she can’t seem to get her daughter to the bus on time, her parenting skills are called into question by her cable guy, she suspects her husband of having an affair, and she faces off numerous times with overbearing mom, Mary-Margaret St. James (the PTA version of Regina George from Mean Girls). Holly just wants to be the best mom she can be without losing her sanity. Can she keep it all together? Or will the move to Primm push her over the edge?

I’m almost 100% positive that Holly and I would be fast friends in real life. There were so many of her inner monologue moments that I know I’ve had before. I loved her sass, her sense of humor, and her tenacity. And the sweet relationship she had with her daughter was so heartwarming

Make sure you check this one out when it hits shelves December 1st!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing, and Julie Valerie for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I had such high expectations for this book. I read a few "women's fiction" books over the summer and really enjoyed them so I hoped that I found a new genre to dig into. Holly Banks had the right intention but not the right execution. The writing bounced from a faux movie script treatment with Holly's narration back to standard narration. It was confusing and hard to stay in the story. Also, the characters were insanely over the top. I tried to convince myself that maybe this novel was written as satire of the whole Pinterest mommy culture but once I got through about half of the book and there was no reflection on how absurd the situations were, I realized that maybe it was just written THAT big. It was uncomfortable to read at times as grown women were doing and saying such ridiculous and over the top things. It wasn't funny, it was just strange.

Unfortunately I wouldn't be able to recommend this novel as I wasn't about to finish. I stopped around 50% through because the insanity of the story was just too much for me.