Love it!!!!!! This author is amazing. I start the audiobook and then I can't listen to it fast enough that I often switch to reading it so I can find out what happens.
This has a satisfying conclusion.

Who knew that Edgar Allan Poe could become even stranger, more morbid? Credit to Mindy McGinnis for crafting Amontillado, Ohio, as a place so dark and twisted that even Poe might be disturbed.

In the follow-up to The Initial Insult, Felicity Turnado is missing, and only Tress Montor really knows what happened. Kermit "Ribbit" Usher is caught up in the aftermath of his humiliation at the Allan house, a video that has gone viral. A panther is on the prowl. Rue is insistent that danger is near. And it's homecoming week. What could possibly go wrong?

Family secrets are brought to light, old memories unlocked, hidden relationships revealed, old smoldering grudges now raging conflagrations.

Don't miss the explosive conclusion to this duology!

This is such a wild ride! --As readers expect from McGinnis! This sequel picks up where The Initial Insult ended and we witness the fallout of Tress's decision and her injury. The book bounces between her and Ribbit and we realize how much of the story was not revealed in book one. I saw the ending coming and wasn't thrilled in how neatly it wrapped... so, I am giving it a 3.5 stars. However, this is another book that captures you from page one and keeps you turning the pages until it's over. Great for readers who need that raw suspense.

The Last Laugh is the sequel and much-anticipated follow up to The Initial Insult, both of which are a part of The Cask of Amontillado retelling by Edgar Allan Poe.
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The sequel picks up right where book one left off: it’s the early morning the day after the infamous Halloween party that left Felicity buried alive, a panther on the loose, Ribbit filmed and humiliated and Tress Montor barely hanging on from being scratched by the panther. The blood loss causes her to hallucinate, while also fighting the guilt of what she did to her former best friend in the hopes of finding out what happened to her parents years ago. The story takes place Saturday-Thursday of homecoming week while everyone is also on the hunt for Felicity, but the only hunt Tress is on is still trying to solve the mystery of her parents’ disappearance. When there’s a break in the case, will Tress be able to keep herself together and survive long enough to find out what happened?
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The last emoji is legit me reading this incredibly dark YA book. I didn’t think I could love or be obsessed with the second as much as I was the first book, but OMG did McGinnis take us on a ride with this one. So many twists and turns, a reveal I did not see coming and many moments of shock and awe, as well as multiple references to Poe’s other works. Those who have read McGinnis’ books before will definitely recognize her trademark darkness in this…if you know, you know. She’s the queen of gritty, grisly YA that I can’t stop reading and recommending. Grab your copy of The Initial Insult NOW and The Last Laugh when it releases 3.15. You won’t be disappointed.

CW: animal abuse/death, blood, gore, murder, violence, physical abuse, fire, death, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, seizures (discussed)

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for letting me read this book early in exchange for an honest review.

Ok, so I really liked The Initial Insult but wasn’t sure how the story could be continued. Boy, was I wrong! This book was gruesome, thrilling and gloriously gothic. I couldn’t stop reading. The Poe stories that were infused into the book translated perfectly. We get to hear from Ribbit’s POV *cough* Hoptoad *cough* as he deals with the fallout from his humiliation at the party and Tress’ as she processes her confrontation with Felicity (and the panther - there’s some body horror here as well). I absolutely loved it. It was a perfectly unfolded thriller and felt very cinematic.