Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Group for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

"Holly Horror: The Longest Night" by Michelle Jabès Corpora is a horror sequel (I believe the end of the duology) that not only lives up to the atmospheric charm of the first book but surpasses it in terms of horror and suspense. Set in the quaint, autumnal town of Ravenglass, this book is perfect for those who relish small-town horror, especially if you’re someone that doesn’t really like gore (this book mainly focuses on ghosts/possessions).

Picking up where the first book left off, the story follows Evie Archer as she delves deeper into the dark mysteries surrounding the disappearance of her friend Desmond. The story thrusts Evie into a relentless pursuit to uncover the truth about the sinister entity lurking in the Shadow Land. Having forgotten some details of the first book, I appreciated the brief recount in the initial pages, which set the stage for this sequel without feeling lost. The book revolves around Evie with reoccurring characters from the previous book like her friend Tina, and there is also a new character named Sai.

The book effortlessly recaptures the enchanting yet eerie atmosphere of the first installment. I I actually found this book to be genuinely scarier than the previous one, a testament to Corpora's ability to elevate the horror elements while maintaining the series' unique charm. I especially liked these interspersed horror chapters that involved various people throughout the town. There was one towards the beginning involving a little kid that was actually pretty creepy.

In this sequel, Evie is more determined than ever, grappling with guilt over Desmond's disappearance and the looming threat over Ravenglass. Evie's quest to reconnect with Holly and decipher her clues is intense and gripping, aided by her friend Tina and the enigmatic newcomer, Sai. I liked how this book fleshed out Tina more by focusing on her background and family, but I wish she had more of a role in this book. It just seemed like she was forgotten at times. Evie’s father is also more prominent in this book as there is more of a focus on Evie’s family drama, which allows for some more character development of Evie. There was a bit of an unexpected love triangle with Sai, especially since Desmond is missing throughout the book. While I liked Sai’s character, he was a bit stereotypical.

The New England town setting in the fall/winter is what really sets this book apart from other horror books. The atmospheric setting (who knew that Christmas caroling could be so creepy?) creates the perfect backdrop for this chilling tale, enhancing the overall tone and immersion. The progression of the plot keeps you on edge, with twists and revelations that are both shocking and satisfying. The nostalgic references and horror elements (I was not expecting such a focus on The Christmas Carol) combine seamlessly, making this a compelling read for both young adults and adults who enjoy a good scare.

Overall, "Holly Horror: The Longest Night" is an excellent sequel that I definitely enjoyed. It's a great choice for fans of YA thrillers and anyone looking to get lost in a spooky, small-town mystery.

These books are just so fun! I am in love with this universe and all its spooky vibes, even if they can be a little silly at times.

I liked this more than the first book! This one delivered more on the horror that I was expecting and thought was lacking some in the first.
Reading this as an adult was fun, it's definitely nostalgic to some creepy shows or books from when I was younger. I love the setting, I think a small New England town in the fall is the perfect place for this kind of book, it just really sets the tone!
The story was interesting and kept me engaged while following Evie and her friends to figure out what is going on in Ravenglass.

Thank you Penguin Teen and NetGalley for the eARC!

This was such a fun book to read, I have always been wanting to read the first one and even though I have not read it, it did not make a difference. I was able to follow it and further put my need into wanting to read the first book. This book also took me back to my younger years when I would read Goosebumps and Fear Street. I loved the characters and I loved the descriptions of when the town was slowly turning more and more crazy. Holly, when she was around, I feel like she was my favorite character. If people loved ya thrillers, this would be the book for you!

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book pre-release. The second book in the Holly Horror series was just as good as the first. I love these books. they feel nostalgic, almost like I'm back in the middle school years rereading Fear Street. I like that we continue following the MC of book one, and her newest haunting adventure. I'll certainly keep reading this series, I hope it continues for quite a few more books. A more formal review will be available on my IG/TikTok and Goodreads.

I REALLY enjoyed the first Holly Horror book. It had small colonial autumnal town with Gilmore Girls vibes but spooky. The vibes were so nice and perfect for an autumn and small town horror lover like me, and I knew that I was going to pick up the next installment right after finishing the first book about a year ago. And the moment is finally here! Holly Horror 2 bringing another much appreciated dose of autumn/Halloween vibes during the summer!

So the downside to reading a sequel so far in the future is forgetting the details. I had little memory of the final showdown in book one, aside from a generic recollection without specific details. But luckily, the first few pages do give a very brief recount, which was much needed. Basically, Holly had gone missing when searching for Sarah (the patchwork girl) and they were now lost in the Shadow Land that could be accessed through the mine, where Evie’s (now missing) friend Desmond was stuck in too. And Sarah, Holly, and Desmond are not the only ones in this dark land. The book starts with Evie determined to find out what other entity residing in this dark place had taken Desmond, and how to get him out. Evie dives deep into research, hoping that the answers lie somewhere in Holly’s research about Sarah’s disappearance. But before long, she is thrown into yet another supernatural adventure and has bigger problems to worry about. And this one is even creepier.

Before I had even reached page 30, I immediately got the giddy autumn small town horror feelings again that I got from the first book. All these cute small town details I had forgotten, like Evie’s mom working at a cute local inn (just like Gilmore Girls!) but with a creepy twist of course. The whole thing just gives off such a Hocus Pocus energy. I don’t recall the first book being particularly scary, just cozy and autumnal in vibe. But this one was actually scary! Far scarier than the first book which is a huge plus! This was a much darker and scarier installment. I really love these books and that hope there’s another, though I would feel bad for the characters if there’s another installment because I feel like they’ve been through enough at this point!

I have no critiques and can’t think of any way this book could’ve been any better, so a rarely given 5/5 stars! Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin for sending me an advanced copy in return for my honest review.

Note: This is not the fault of the book but I must complain about this again because I VEHEMENTLY dislike reading out of the Netgalley app rather than kindle. It is MUCH harder to see the text and it is a much more difficult reading experience, though this file was much more tolerable than the other arc I’d been forced to read on the Netgalley app (the bar was not very high though). There is smaller, harder to read text with no option provided by Netgalley to enlarge the text. Penguin, for the sake of other arc readers, please allow them to import this arc into kindle. This was not a pleasant arc reading experience without that.