Holly Banks lives in the Village of Primm with her husband, Jack, daughter, Ella, and her mother, Greta. They have a dog, Struggles that is always running away and getting into trouble. This was the first I read in the series so some things I didn't understand that must have been addressed in the first book such as Holly's involvement in the chilli thrips invasion.

I felt the book was a bit long. I didn't really see the point of her correspondence on line with Psychic Betty and I hated the cutesy names for the enclaves like Hopscotch, DillyDally. Her friend, Caleb, seems like a great guy but there were some cringe worthy moments with him trying to ask Rosie on a date. The village itself was just a bunch of folks with money trying to one up each other and Holly fell right into that. She wants to start a business but takes no notice that Jack is stressed about money. The house they have lived in for a month was over priced and now is falling down on their heads but still she blathers on about needing new furniture and she needs equipment to start her business.

In all fairness the last part of the book somewhat redeemed her and I was glad of that. I think the author was going for a madcap comedy and I just didn't feel it but it was very readable. I would elevate this from a 3 to a 3-1/2 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and Lake Union for providing me with a copy of this book.

An enjoyable easy read about trying to keep up with the neighbours. The character of Holly is fun and likeable, and I liked all of the misadventures she has during the story.

I missed the first book but that wasn't a problem- this light quick read hits several familiar tropes. Holly is a woman who isn't comfortable pretty much anywhere but Primm (aptly named) hasn't been especially welcoming either, She has a lot on her plate with her daughter, her mother, and her husband so the last thing she needs is for her dog to dig up what turns into a controversy. The astrolabe and the possible change in town boundaries adds a unique touch to what is, in many ways, a familiar story. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Holly is very much an everywoman who needs a break.

After enjoying Holly Banks Full of Angst last year, there was no question that I wanted to read the next installment in the Village of Primm series! In book 2, Holly finds herself in the middle of a local mystery when her dog, Struggle, unearths a historical treasure. This occurs in the midst of a few other personal crises for Holly, which only adds to the drama for her!

While I personally enjoyed the first book more than this one, I did appreciate the added depth to Holly’s character in The Peculiar Fate. I felt especially invested in her relationship with her mom this time around and also loved seeing Holly find her sense of purpose and accomplishment. I think it would be helpful to have read the first book before this one, but it’s not absolutely necessary. Pick this one up on November 24th for a quick, light read this holiday season!

Get your bullet journal ready, it's time to get your life together! Well, that's what Holly Banks hopes for after her recent move to Primm. She's a mom who wants to have it all but is a bit of a hot mess express as she tries to keep up with the Joneses.

It took me a bit to get into this one, which makes sense because it was a sequel and I did not read Holly Banks is Full of Angst. Part of the difficulty was that the chapters were long and right now short chapters are easier for me. BUT, after I got into Holly did start to grow on me. She's a quirky mom who is trying to find herself and build her career while caring for those around her.

Holly has a dog named Struggle and he ends up involved in a mystery with old artifacts - I could have done without that plot line and instead had more of Holly and the humans around her. There was enough going on with things in Primm and the Banks family to sustain the plot without the 'mystery'.

Read this if:
-You like quirky mom characters who are trying to figure themselves out
-You like sarcastic characters

Skip if:
-High strung, anxious people make you anxious. Holly has some growth throughout that helps her begin to be less-people pleasing, but at times she made me feel a little anxious.

Holly Banks is all of my friends rolled into one ball of anxiety and self doubt. Holly is a super relatable character because of her flaws. Unlike a certain she shed occupying pta mom! I struggled with the story because I see so much of myself in Holly, during this pandemic. I hope to revisit it again when my mind isn’t peculiar or full of angst!

Author Julie Valerie's follow up to Holly Banks Full of Angst (still the best damn title ever) is The Peculiar Fate of Holly Banks.

My return visit to the Village of Primm (VOP for those in the know) did not disappoint. All the madcap mayhem is here: A kindergarten wedding between Q&U; the Banks dog, Struggle, reveals hidden talents, starting a village wide treasure hunt; a hyper competitive VOP house tour to raise funds to repair Plume and the Topiary Park; and Holly launches Holly Banks Productions. Whew!

What I loved most was Holly's growth and evolution. Holly suffered from the comparison trap and it was a joy to see her moving beyond that. Holly faces challenges many of us encounter: ailing parents, job loss, money worries, home renovation....and it helps her gain clarity about the important things in life....and they aren't 'things.'

A lovely story full of absurd fun while aiming straight for your heart?? That's what I found in re-visiting Holly Banks.

Many thanks to author Julie Valerie, Amazon Publishing and NetGalley for the advance reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I received a complimentary copy of THE PECULIAR FATE OF HOLLY BANKS by Julie Valerie to read and review. Thank you to Julie Valerie, Lake Union Publishing and Netgalley for the advanced electronic copy and finished copy!

THE PECULIAR FATE HOLLY BANKS is the second book in Julie Valerie’s Village of Primm series. I really enjoyed meeting Holly in book one, HOLLY BANKS FULL OF ANGST and was happy to get a chance to make a return to the Village of Primm. This book picks up not long after the first book concludes.

Holly is a bit more settled into her new life in her new community, but she’s still juggling motherhood, a rambunctious dog, a husband who’s still finding himself, a community that is nothing less than high maintenance… oh, and her own personal life and career too. As one might expect, things are not all going smoothly according to plan. In this installment of the series, Holly and her dog Struggle stumble into a mystery about the history of the town and all eyes are on them.

We’ve got a dog dressed up as a unicorn (not something I’d know anything about *innocent whistle*) running amok, a plane landing in the yard, colorful characters and Holly, a woman trying to maintain some level of control… not entirely successfully. When I first picked up HOLLY BANKS FULL OF ANGST I was a bit concerned about how well I could connect to a PTA mom character living a very different life from my own, but I loved Holly even so.

This return to Holly’s life was a fun and lighthearted read at a time when I needed a good light read during a super busy week. Reading about Holly’s over the top situations and stress was a great distraction from my own. I loved the focus on the dog mom part of Holly’s life as well, something to which I can definitely relate (though I have to say my Kylee is a little less prone to trouble).

If you are looking for a fun read (and an excuse to dress your pup up as a glittery unicorn), look for THE PECULIAR FATE OF HOLLY BANKS when it releases on November 24, 2020!

I struggled a bit with this book. I adored the first entry in the series but this felt a bit slower. I still adore Holly and all the characters of the story!

I read Holly Banks Full of Angst in ONE day this summer and it was the perfect lighthearted, humorous novel for this crazy time we're living in. I was so very excited that Holly's story was continuing in The Peculiar Fate of Holly Banks! When I started reading it picked up right where the first book left off and I was pleased with that. Sometimes sequels take place a ways away from when the previous book ends and I always have to take so much time going back and trying to remember what happened. This time around, Holly is focusing on her own film career and Struggle, their goofy dog, has a serious main character role throughout the novel. We really see more of Holly's more sensitive side this time around, but also see her bad ass super mom side as well. And Greta, oh Greta. What a crazy dating, cat doula-ing, yoga-ing grandma. She really finds her place in the Banks household this time around. Between the Village of Primm house tour, Struggle's adventures, Mary-Margaret's she-shed (can I have one?), Ella's Q and U wedding, and a flying drone like film airplane, there is a lot going on in the book but Julie does a great job tying it all together and wrapping it up in a humorous present. One that we all need right now! I can't wait to see what mayhem Holly and co. get into next! Thanks to @netgalley, @lakeunionauthors, @amazonpublishing @julievalerieauthor for this ARC! It's been a joy sharing Holly with the world. Hip Hip!

Honestly I had a hard time getting into this book. For me the pace was so slow in the beginning and it was hard to understand or grasp the story. The writing is really well done and the flow makes it easy to read but the content wasn’t enough to grasp my interest. The chapters for me were way too long and I would find myself needing to take breaks from this book.

There was a likeable humor to Holly with her funny quirks, but in general I couldn’t connect with Holly and her obsessive need to fit in with Primm Village. As the book progressed, it did pick up for me, but not enough for me to enjoy the story as a whole. Though this book is a sequel and not having read the first one, I didn’t feel at a loss. The author did a great job making the reader feel as if this was the first book. All in all it was an OK read for me. But I think it’s definitely worth checking out.

Thank you to NetGalley and Julie Valerie for this ARC

I was so excited for the second book in the Village of Primm series. This book was a little slow to start and the chapters are way too long. The more I read the more I started to enjoy the book. I enjoy Holly’s character and the people of the village. I loved the missed adventures they went on and the wit and sarcasm. I would recommend checking this book out!

Julie Valerie did it again with another cute installment to this series! I really enjoyed the first book - Holly Banks Full of Angst. This one was just as delightful as the first. It was a quick and easy read and I enjoyed Holly's character and how quirky she was. I enjoyed the subtle humour as well.

What I also really liked was how this one took place right where the first book left off. I read them close together and this worked really well for me. Holly came into her own a bit more in this novel and gained some confidence which was nice to see. A cute read!

3.5 stars

One month into living in their new home and town and Holly is still trying to keep up with her neighbors/fellow moms while wanting to start a film company. She's basically a hot mess with an unruly dog (appropriately named Struggle) and she desperately needs to get her home and her life organized.

Initially, I had a hard time getting into this book. I was just not feeling it and I felt the chapters were just way too long. (I needed a break and I hate stopping mid chapter!) The story and Holly grew on me the more I read, though. I understood her incessant need to fit in and have the people of Primm Village like her. I enjoyed her added wit and sarcasm as she went from one misadventure to the next.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for my advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review.

Julie Valerie is back along with her quirky heroine Holly Banks and the village of Primm. I devoured the first book in this series and the sequel did not disappoint. The author's original and charming voice shines through every sentence. The dialogue sparkles, the descriptions have me right there along side the characters, and the humor is so fresh and original. I think my favorite chapter was Ella Bella Cinderella's "wedding" and Jack's reaction to his daughter "getting married" - so cute! But what rang especially true and poignant to me was Holly's own personal growth and character development from the first page to the last - learning to appreciate what and who really matter. Also, there are several mysteries in this book!

This was a delightful read. It is filled with meddling neighbours, crazy stunts and a decades-old mystery, which are all neatly packaged into an enjoyable story.

I haven’t read the first book in the series, however, there was enough backstory provided to make this work perfectly well as a standalone.

I hope to read more books with these characters again, and I loved the sound of Struggle. What a good girl!

I, foolishjly, didn't realise this was book number 2 of a series when I requested it. Because of this I feel like I couldn't connect with the characters very well, found myself confused in a few places. I felt the story was a bit thrown together in places which lost my interest a bit. It was okay, but it wasn't great.

I just could not get engaged with this book. Perhaps that is due to not having read the previous book, but I found the character of Holly Banks just a bit too quirky. I can certainly see the appeal of this book to a younger audience.

The peculiar fate of Holly Banks was an interesting read but it just seemed too over the top in the story line. The characters didn’t mesh well and the story jumped around too much. Not for me!

"The Peculiar Fate of Holy Banks" is a really fun comedy dealing with the issues of motherhood and people-pleasing in a small town setting. We follow our familiar Holly Banks as she tries her best to be a good mother, wife, friend and neighbor while looking over her own needs in the picture-perfect Village of Primm. She is a super relatable character, especially with her insane quirkiness and flaws, which is something we simply need to read about in the era of instagram 'perfection.'