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The Idlewood Duology #2
The Neon Sky: A gothic fantasy with feuding families, dark magic and a love triangle
The hotly-anticipated sequel to the unputdownable gothic contemporary fantasy The Glittering Edge. Return to a world where magic is real, witches make irresistible boyfriends, and keeping secrets is dangerous—but not as dangerous as the truth. With the feuding families of Romeo and Juliet, the dark magic of Krystal Sutherland and a love triangle to rival The Inheritance Games.
Penny Emberly didn’t expect to fall head over heels for Alonso De Luca last summer—or to discover that he’s a witch. Together with their friend Corey Barrion, they managed to save her mother from a deadly spell. Now autumn has arrived, and Penny believes they can take on anything.
But darkness is descending on the small town of Idlewood. Corey is desperate to undo the bloody legacy that made his family rich. The price, however, is to unravel the magical bargain made by his grandfather, Corey must take a life.
As Corey wrestles with an impossible choice, Alonso begins to change. The more he pushes the limits of his magic, the more volatile, violent, and possessive he becomes. When tragedy strikes one of their classmates, the trio is forced to confront a terrifying is Alonso being consumed by something that’s bent on the destruction of everyone around him?
As supernatural forces drive them apart, Penny, Corey, and Alonso must decide what they’re willing to sacrifice before more blood is spilled—even if it means losing each other.
Penny Emberly didn’t expect to fall head over heels for Alonso De Luca last summer—or to discover that he’s a witch. Together with their friend Corey Barrion, they managed to save her mother from a deadly spell. Now autumn has arrived, and Penny believes they can take on anything.
But darkness is descending on the small town of Idlewood. Corey is desperate to undo the bloody legacy that made his family rich. The price, however, is to unravel the magical bargain made by his grandfather, Corey must take a life.
As Corey wrestles with an impossible choice, Alonso begins to change. The more he pushes the limits of his magic, the more volatile, violent, and possessive he becomes. When tragedy strikes one of their classmates, the trio is forced to confront a terrifying is Alonso being consumed by something that’s bent on the destruction of everyone around him?
As supernatural forces drive them apart, Penny, Corey, and Alonso must decide what they’re willing to sacrifice before more blood is spilled—even if it means losing each other.
395 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 19, 2026
About the author
Alyssa Villaire
8 books176 followersAlyssa Villaire is the #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of The Glittering Edge and the upcoming sequel, The Neon Sky. She writes fantasy books with eerie magic, complicated friendships, and lots of yearning. She’s based in Los Angeles, where she lives with her husband and a steadily growing library.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 131 reviews
August 6, 2026
This duology is the height of YA fantasy and you cannot convince me otherwise.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
excuse me alyssa keep your windows open at night to give your sequel manuscript some air ❤️
EDIT OH MY GOD COVER AND BLURB WOMAIQJSNSIQUNWIWUQMWOQMQKQM IM GOING INSANE
EDIT OH MY GOD COVER AND BLURB WOMAIQJSNSIQUNWIWUQMWOQMQKQM IM GOING INSANE
Want to Read
February 26, 2025that cliffhanger
July 1, 2026
YA Paranormal Romance
Book 2 in duet. YA swoon.
What you need to know:
The 2010s style PNR you’ve been wishing for. The cause of the curse is uncovered, but the trouble has only begun after something followed our MCs across the veil. Relationships are tested as a malevolent spirit tries to keep them from undoing the bargain.
Wonderful, single narration.
This finale kept me on the edge of my seat the whole way! It’s giving less creepy Twilight vibes and I’m in love. I love how the characters have grown and their relationships have shifted in unexpected ways after surviving the summer and The Glittering Edge. What I really loved the most was that every character had their moment to shine and weren’t left behind with all the relationship drama. I also really loved the realistic treatment of love with 17-18-year-olds just trying to figure out life.
Book 2 in duet. YA swoon.
What you need to know:
The 2010s style PNR you’ve been wishing for. The cause of the curse is uncovered, but the trouble has only begun after something followed our MCs across the veil. Relationships are tested as a malevolent spirit tries to keep them from undoing the bargain.
Wonderful, single narration.
This finale kept me on the edge of my seat the whole way! It’s giving less creepy Twilight vibes and I’m in love. I love how the characters have grown and their relationships have shifted in unexpected ways after surviving the summer and The Glittering Edge. What I really loved the most was that every character had their moment to shine and weren’t left behind with all the relationship drama. I also really loved the realistic treatment of love with 17-18-year-olds just trying to figure out life.
June 18, 2026
One of my favourite ya fantasy duologys ever - I absolutely love these characters!
The stakes were high, especially after the ending of the first book, and I was on edge the whole time rooting for the guys to succeed! The yearning between Penny and Alonso, it was full of those giddy butterfly feelings you get when you’re young and in love.
The plot was fast paced and fun, I loved the witchy magical side and the attempts at the exorcisms and the veil to the other side. I enjoyed having multiple PoV with the different characters. I didn’t see the twists and reveals coming at the end!
Emotions were high the whole time and I love when an author creates characters you love and care about as if they’re real and you know them in real life.
This is definitely a cosy comfort duology for me that I will revisit again and again.
And that ending was perfect - I shed a tear.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.
The stakes were high, especially after the ending of the first book, and I was on edge the whole time rooting for the guys to succeed! The yearning between Penny and Alonso, it was full of those giddy butterfly feelings you get when you’re young and in love.
The plot was fast paced and fun, I loved the witchy magical side and the attempts at the exorcisms and the veil to the other side. I enjoyed having multiple PoV with the different characters. I didn’t see the twists and reveals coming at the end!
Emotions were high the whole time and I love when an author creates characters you love and care about as if they’re real and you know them in real life.
This is definitely a cosy comfort duology for me that I will revisit again and again.
And that ending was perfect - I shed a tear.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.
June 15, 2026
My main take from this is… we love men who yearn.
Because it felt like the mantra for this book. Nearly every male character in this book/series has been caught yearning over a gorgeous, amazing, brilliant woman, and we love them for it!
Toxic masculinity? Not round here partner?
But seriously, I’ve been so scared to read this book since The Glittering Edge was one of my favourite reads of all time last year, and I’ve already been let down by long awaited sequels quite a bit lately. So basically, I needed this one to be perfect!
And it delivered. It 100% delivered!
Just like before I was caught up in the story from page 1, and it was no surprise that I inevitably decided to just stay up and finish it since I only had so much left. So yes I read this (technically) in one sitting. And it definitely had me making the shocked pikachu face a few too many times.
It had me on the edge of my seat, biting my nails, clawing at my hair, to the point I wasn’t sure how the story was gonna go. And yes I did in fact cry which is a very rare thing for the books I read to do to me, so just for that it automatically got 6 stars.
Is it a perfect book? No. The pacing is a little too fast and the story felt rushed at times. But was it the perfect book for me? Yes!
It was just what I needed and the plot unfolded better than I had ever imagined. Alonso and Penny are my otp and I adore them with all my heart.
(Lowkey felt very Southern while writing this review, and I have absolutely no idea why…)
Because it felt like the mantra for this book. Nearly every male character in this book/series has been caught yearning over a gorgeous, amazing, brilliant woman, and we love them for it!
Toxic masculinity? Not round here partner?
But seriously, I’ve been so scared to read this book since The Glittering Edge was one of my favourite reads of all time last year, and I’ve already been let down by long awaited sequels quite a bit lately. So basically, I needed this one to be perfect!
And it delivered. It 100% delivered!
Just like before I was caught up in the story from page 1, and it was no surprise that I inevitably decided to just stay up and finish it since I only had so much left. So yes I read this (technically) in one sitting. And it definitely had me making the shocked pikachu face a few too many times.
It had me on the edge of my seat, biting my nails, clawing at my hair, to the point I wasn’t sure how the story was gonna go. And yes I did in fact cry which is a very rare thing for the books I read to do to me, so just for that it automatically got 6 stars.
Is it a perfect book? No. The pacing is a little too fast and the story felt rushed at times. But was it the perfect book for me? Yes!
It was just what I needed and the plot unfolded better than I had ever imagined. Alonso and Penny are my otp and I adore them with all my heart.
(Lowkey felt very Southern while writing this review, and I have absolutely no idea why…)
June 30, 2026
3.5 ✨️
That love triangle ruined it for me.
Otherwise a more original YA story hence the rating.
That love triangle ruined it for me.
Otherwise a more original YA story hence the rating.
May 24, 2026
I absolutely loved The Glittering Edge, so I went into The Neon Sky with really high expectations… and unfortunately, this sequel just didn’t fully work for me.
The biggest issue was that I struggled to connect with the characters for most of the book. Penny especially felt very different compared to the first installment. Her low self-esteem and insecurities came across much more forced this time around, which was confusing because I never perceived her that way before. It almost felt like parts of her personality had been rewritten to fit the conflict of the sequel rather than evolving naturally from Book 1.
I was also expecting much more emotional and psychological impact from Alonso being possessed by Giovanni’s poltergeist. The setup had so much potential for tension, horror, and drama, but it never reached the level of intensity I hoped for. Everything felt a bit too restrained considering the premise.
And Corey falling for Penny was so obvious from the start that there was barely any suspense or emotional payoff in that storyline for me.
That said, the atmosphere and writing still kept me engaged enough to finish the book, and the final third definitely improved the experience overall. I just wish the emotional depth and character development had been stronger throughout the entire story.
Not a bad sequel by any means — just one that sadly didn’t live up to the expectations the first book created for me.
The biggest issue was that I struggled to connect with the characters for most of the book. Penny especially felt very different compared to the first installment. Her low self-esteem and insecurities came across much more forced this time around, which was confusing because I never perceived her that way before. It almost felt like parts of her personality had been rewritten to fit the conflict of the sequel rather than evolving naturally from Book 1.
I was also expecting much more emotional and psychological impact from Alonso being possessed by Giovanni’s poltergeist. The setup had so much potential for tension, horror, and drama, but it never reached the level of intensity I hoped for. Everything felt a bit too restrained considering the premise.
And Corey falling for Penny was so obvious from the start that there was barely any suspense or emotional payoff in that storyline for me.
That said, the atmosphere and writing still kept me engaged enough to finish the book, and the final third definitely improved the experience overall. I just wish the emotional depth and character development had been stronger throughout the entire story.
Not a bad sequel by any means — just one that sadly didn’t live up to the expectations the first book created for me.
August 4, 2026
* You need to read the previous book first, this book is a direct continuation.
Last summer, Penny Emberly got caught between two feuding families in her hometown of Idlewood. The Barrions and the De Luca's were caught up in the gasp of a teerifying curse, but Penny, with the help of Corey Barrion and Alonso De Luca, managed to solve the decade long mystery. Now their fragile friendship is put to the test again, as supernatural forces are trying to separate them again and all of them have to decide what they want to sacrifice to banish the dark forces once and for all.
Pro's:
+ Just like the previous book, this book is really fast-paced with a lot of action scenes and I think the urban, yet magical angle of this book really works well for this type of story. There was no dull moment and I think that kept me on the edge of my seat.
+ The characters of this book are again top-notch. We see the story from multiple POV's, but it all stays very easy to follow and simple to determine each characters objective. It was also fun to see more of each protagonists family, as each of them has quite the impact on this story.
+ I now have the matching Fairyloot editions of this duology and I'm so freaking happy with that. They are gorgeous and have some awesome art on the inside.
Con's:
- The entire love-triangle bussiness in this book became incredibly cliche very soon after starting it. I can safely say the only predictable, boring element of the story is the romance in its entirety and the ending of it was so very boring, wish we could have gone without.
The first part of this duology was one of my favorite books from last year and I think this entry will be high on that list as well. The story is incredibly fun to read and since it is easy to follow, none of the many events will stray you of the written path. This book has the same 'Breakfast Club'like vibes as the first book, but I think this book is way more magical as the first book. The characters are still a lot of fun, but now we're meeting more of the adjacent families and I think that works really well for this story. There is a bigger halloween-y type vibe to this story and I love that a lot. Let us hope we will get more epic stories like this in the future.
Last summer, Penny Emberly got caught between two feuding families in her hometown of Idlewood. The Barrions and the De Luca's were caught up in the gasp of a teerifying curse, but Penny, with the help of Corey Barrion and Alonso De Luca, managed to solve the decade long mystery. Now their fragile friendship is put to the test again, as supernatural forces are trying to separate them again and all of them have to decide what they want to sacrifice to banish the dark forces once and for all.
Pro's:
+ Just like the previous book, this book is really fast-paced with a lot of action scenes and I think the urban, yet magical angle of this book really works well for this type of story. There was no dull moment and I think that kept me on the edge of my seat.
+ The characters of this book are again top-notch. We see the story from multiple POV's, but it all stays very easy to follow and simple to determine each characters objective. It was also fun to see more of each protagonists family, as each of them has quite the impact on this story.
+ I now have the matching Fairyloot editions of this duology and I'm so freaking happy with that. They are gorgeous and have some awesome art on the inside.
Con's:
- The entire love-triangle bussiness in this book became incredibly cliche very soon after starting it. I can safely say the only predictable, boring element of the story is the romance in its entirety and the ending of it was so very boring, wish we could have gone without.
The first part of this duology was one of my favorite books from last year and I think this entry will be high on that list as well. The story is incredibly fun to read and since it is easy to follow, none of the many events will stray you of the written path. This book has the same 'Breakfast Club'like vibes as the first book, but I think this book is way more magical as the first book. The characters are still a lot of fun, but now we're meeting more of the adjacent families and I think that works really well for this story. There is a bigger halloween-y type vibe to this story and I love that a lot. Let us hope we will get more epic stories like this in the future.
June 1, 2026
Deze duologie voelde voor mij ZO nostalgisch! De setting, de love triangle, het plot: het voelde net alsof ik als tiener zat te kijken naar shows als Teen Wolf of The Vampire Diaries. I loved it.
Dit tweede deel was ook echt een perfecte afsluiting van de duologie. Als je nog op zoek bent naar een boek waar je echt doorheen vliegt en je de vibes geeft van de series die ik hierboven noem: pak deze boeken op.
Dit tweede deel was ook echt een perfecte afsluiting van de duologie. Als je nog op zoek bent naar een boek waar je echt doorheen vliegt en je de vibes geeft van de series die ik hierboven noem: pak deze boeken op.
August 6, 2026
Missing Idlewood already 💔💔
June 24, 2026
This book was okay.. some things were done that I did not like. The romance(s) where chaotic. I do not like that we go from love triangle, to the girl picking a guy, and then back to the love triangle again back and forth
February 18, 2026
Arc provided by Net Galley
I LOVED this. I was so worried for Alonso especially when he wanted to sacrifice himself but im glad he survived and in the end was able to learn to control his magic and ended up with Penny. I like that Corey is also getting a happy ending too :))
I LOVED this. I was so worried for Alonso especially when he wanted to sacrifice himself but im glad he survived and in the end was able to learn to control his magic and ended up with Penny. I like that Corey is also getting a happy ending too :))
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 9, 2026
Such a satisfying follow-up to The Glittering Edge. Twisty, fun, and character-driven, The Neon Sky resolves the cliffhangers and allows us to spend some more time in our favorite small Midwestern town, Idlewood. I really enjoyed the additional perspectives and the new characters (I need a Marley spinoff stat!). But my favorite component of both books of the Idlewood Duology is the strong familial ties - nuanced, at times complicated, but rooted in deep love at their core.
July 30, 2026
Literally the only book that's ever had me rooting for the blonde male love interest
June 10, 2026
Solid 3⭐️ Spooky atmosphere with witchy vibes ✨
I went in with my expectations a little high after finishing the first book, The Glittering Edge but this one didn’t quite live up to the hype I built up in my mind.
Penny started grating on my nerves after a while and I wasn’t feeling the love triangle either.
It might not have been for me but I could see others really enjoying this story. It does read very young so if YA isn’t your thing I would skip over this series.
I went in with my expectations a little high after finishing the first book, The Glittering Edge but this one didn’t quite live up to the hype I built up in my mind.
Penny started grating on my nerves after a while and I wasn’t feeling the love triangle either.
It might not have been for me but I could see others really enjoying this story. It does read very young so if YA isn’t your thing I would skip over this series.
May 20, 2026
I think if this story didn't have the love triangle, I would have really loved it. Maybe I'm just over the love triangle scene though.
It was definitely a page turner and I really liked the ending. I think I'm just a little too old for the teenage angst scene, especially in a fantasy setting where people will get killed while the kids are pining over each other! 😅
I think 16 year old me would have loved this a lot more! And that is who it's for after all so I would absolutely conclude that this is a good book! 💛
Since this is a YA story, here are some trigger warnings (which include spoilers) in case you want to buy the book for your kid:
Death (including a young person and an animal), murder, gun violence, car crash, loss of a parent, mental health issues, cursing (both swear words and actual curses lol).
There are some spicy kisses too, though nothing more than that. :)
It was definitely a page turner and I really liked the ending. I think I'm just a little too old for the teenage angst scene, especially in a fantasy setting where people will get killed while the kids are pining over each other! 😅
I think 16 year old me would have loved this a lot more! And that is who it's for after all so I would absolutely conclude that this is a good book! 💛
Since this is a YA story, here are some trigger warnings (which include spoilers) in case you want to buy the book for your kid:
Death (including a young person and an animal), murder, gun violence, car crash, loss of a parent, mental health issues, cursing (both swear words and actual curses lol).
There are some spicy kisses too, though nothing more than that. :)
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Disclaimer: I received an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book was a satisfying conclusion to the explosive debut novel The Glittering Edge - I loved that we go to know more about how witches work, like The pacing did feel a touch rushed toward the end, but that might have been because of the sheer amount of things that were happening - I feel like this could have easily been a trilogy at least. There was a lot of character development that happened off-screen between this book and the last one that I wished that we could have seen, I love these characters and this world and would absolutely love to read a novella about All in all, this was a fun and enjoyable read, and I would absolutely re-read it again.
This book was a satisfying conclusion to the explosive debut novel The Glittering Edge - I loved that we go to know more about how witches work, like The pacing did feel a touch rushed toward the end, but that might have been because of the sheer amount of things that were happening - I feel like this could have easily been a trilogy at least. There was a lot of character development that happened off-screen between this book and the last one that I wished that we could have seen, I love these characters and this world and would absolutely love to read a novella about All in all, this was a fun and enjoyable read, and I would absolutely re-read it again.
June 5, 2026
This is such a good duology! I really liked the first book and this one wrapped up the story quite nicely, at least for our main characters. When it comes to some side characters, I feel like there were some things revealed/started that were not acknowledged again? It would make sense if the author wants to write a spin off or something bit idk. Anyways, I liked the first book more but this one was still good.
June 16, 2026
The final installment of the "Idlewood Duology" features a dangerous poltergeist, a love triangle, and a fight to end a decades long family curse.
Penny Emberly's life has changed so much in one summer. She learned that magic is real—and that it almost killed her mother. She's also in love with the town's bad boy, Alonso De Luca, which she never saw coming. Oh, and she also learned that Alonso is a witch with powerful magical abilities. With the help of their dear friend Corey Barrion, the three saved her mother's life, but they still have to break the curse that haunts all of their families. Unfortunately, Alonso has been possessed by the poltergeist of his grandfather who is out for blood. Corey has learned that in order to break the curse, he'll have to sacrifice the life of another. With all three of them desperate for the bloodshed to end, Penny, Corey, and Alonso must put their heads together to finally end this bloody curse that has haunted them their entire lives.
I absolutely ate up the first book in this series, "The Glittering Edge," so I was excited to read book two when it came out. My library was awesome enough to purchase it for me, so I didn't have to buy it myself. I definitely didn't like this one as much as the first, but it was nice seeing Penny, Corey, and Alonso get the resolution they deserved.
One thing I noticed right away was that this book followed way more PoVs than the first. We're in Gio, Dylan, and Marley's heads on top of our three MCs. I think this distanced me from the story a little bit, but I understand why it was done at times. I personally was okay with Gio's perspective, because he at times replaced Alonso, but everyone else felt a bit out of place.
At the start of this book, Penny and Alonso are together. I think it's fun when characters start out in later installments of a series already in a committed relationship, because it lets the author explore their romantic bond more. Seeing how Alonso adores Penny at the beginning was really sweet, but it sucks that other circumstances get in the way and pull them apart pretty quickly. Corey also has a huge crush on Penny, which is something that he tried to avoid for all of book one due to the curse on his family. With Alonso out of the picture for a bit, it's even harder for Corey to deny how he feels. I personally thought that the love triangle element got a bit old in this book, but Corey has every right to feel how he feels and Penny is honestly a confused mess throughout this entire book.
I feel that our three main characters are still the highlight of this series. Penny is an extremely anxious individual that cares deeply and with her entire heart. I felt really bad for all the heartbreak she goes through in this book, but it is clear that she cares so much for both Corey and Alonso. Corey has been burdened with his family's expectations since the moment he was born, so he's been stressed out since he was young. I was happy to see that he finally is starting to put himself first and pursue the things that make him truly happy. Alonso has always been a troublesome lad with a violent streak. He's been doing better ever since he got with Penny, but now he is forced to live with his grandfather's crimes, too. So many people have been hurt by his family, and Alonso takes much of this burden on himself. These three young adults certainly have experienced a ton of pain in their lives, but it's amazing to see them persevere through all the hard times.
This one does seem a bit repetitive in content, so I'm glad I didn't read them back-to-back. Our three MCs are still trying to find a way to break the curse, Penny's family is still in extreme danger, and the love triangle is still going strong. I wish there would have been a tad more variation, but it was still a fine read.
I want to touch briefly on the ending, because I found it rather unsatisfying. I'll avoid spoilers, so this part will be vague, but I feel the need to express my thoughts. I was honestly pissed at Alonso for the decisions he made. It was truly frustrating to see him push everyone to the wayside like that, but whatever. I'm glad that Penny took her life into her own hands and made a plan that suited her needs. Corey sort of receives the short end of the stick, but at least his epilogue was tinged with hope for a better future. Honestly, the entire epilogue was penned in this style. It gave just enough information about the characters to tease a happy next chapter for them, but it was vague enough that everything it hinted at could never come to pass. I didn't love this for an ending, but at least all the major plot points were tied up.
Overall, "The Neon Sky" wasn't as exciting as its predecessor, but I'm glad that Penny, Corey, and Alonso were given a resolution and that they dealt with their family curse in their own unique way. I did find elements of this book to be a bit tedious such as huge similarities in plot to book one, the ever-going love triangle, and the random PoV shifts. I'm glad that everything was wrapped up, but I found myself a bit disappointed by the ending of this one, too. Penny, Corey, and Alonso are still such fun characters to follow, so I'm happy that I experienced the happy for now ending to their story.
Penny Emberly's life has changed so much in one summer. She learned that magic is real—and that it almost killed her mother. She's also in love with the town's bad boy, Alonso De Luca, which she never saw coming. Oh, and she also learned that Alonso is a witch with powerful magical abilities. With the help of their dear friend Corey Barrion, the three saved her mother's life, but they still have to break the curse that haunts all of their families. Unfortunately, Alonso has been possessed by the poltergeist of his grandfather who is out for blood. Corey has learned that in order to break the curse, he'll have to sacrifice the life of another. With all three of them desperate for the bloodshed to end, Penny, Corey, and Alonso must put their heads together to finally end this bloody curse that has haunted them their entire lives.
I absolutely ate up the first book in this series, "The Glittering Edge," so I was excited to read book two when it came out. My library was awesome enough to purchase it for me, so I didn't have to buy it myself. I definitely didn't like this one as much as the first, but it was nice seeing Penny, Corey, and Alonso get the resolution they deserved.
One thing I noticed right away was that this book followed way more PoVs than the first. We're in Gio, Dylan, and Marley's heads on top of our three MCs. I think this distanced me from the story a little bit, but I understand why it was done at times. I personally was okay with Gio's perspective, because he at times replaced Alonso, but everyone else felt a bit out of place.
At the start of this book, Penny and Alonso are together. I think it's fun when characters start out in later installments of a series already in a committed relationship, because it lets the author explore their romantic bond more. Seeing how Alonso adores Penny at the beginning was really sweet, but it sucks that other circumstances get in the way and pull them apart pretty quickly. Corey also has a huge crush on Penny, which is something that he tried to avoid for all of book one due to the curse on his family. With Alonso out of the picture for a bit, it's even harder for Corey to deny how he feels. I personally thought that the love triangle element got a bit old in this book, but Corey has every right to feel how he feels and Penny is honestly a confused mess throughout this entire book.
I feel that our three main characters are still the highlight of this series. Penny is an extremely anxious individual that cares deeply and with her entire heart. I felt really bad for all the heartbreak she goes through in this book, but it is clear that she cares so much for both Corey and Alonso. Corey has been burdened with his family's expectations since the moment he was born, so he's been stressed out since he was young. I was happy to see that he finally is starting to put himself first and pursue the things that make him truly happy. Alonso has always been a troublesome lad with a violent streak. He's been doing better ever since he got with Penny, but now he is forced to live with his grandfather's crimes, too. So many people have been hurt by his family, and Alonso takes much of this burden on himself. These three young adults certainly have experienced a ton of pain in their lives, but it's amazing to see them persevere through all the hard times.
This one does seem a bit repetitive in content, so I'm glad I didn't read them back-to-back. Our three MCs are still trying to find a way to break the curse, Penny's family is still in extreme danger, and the love triangle is still going strong. I wish there would have been a tad more variation, but it was still a fine read.
I want to touch briefly on the ending, because I found it rather unsatisfying. I'll avoid spoilers, so this part will be vague, but I feel the need to express my thoughts. I was honestly pissed at Alonso for the decisions he made. It was truly frustrating to see him push everyone to the wayside like that, but whatever. I'm glad that Penny took her life into her own hands and made a plan that suited her needs. Corey sort of receives the short end of the stick, but at least his epilogue was tinged with hope for a better future. Honestly, the entire epilogue was penned in this style. It gave just enough information about the characters to tease a happy next chapter for them, but it was vague enough that everything it hinted at could never come to pass. I didn't love this for an ending, but at least all the major plot points were tied up.
Overall, "The Neon Sky" wasn't as exciting as its predecessor, but I'm glad that Penny, Corey, and Alonso were given a resolution and that they dealt with their family curse in their own unique way. I did find elements of this book to be a bit tedious such as huge similarities in plot to book one, the ever-going love triangle, and the random PoV shifts. I'm glad that everything was wrapped up, but I found myself a bit disappointed by the ending of this one, too. Penny, Corey, and Alonso are still such fun characters to follow, so I'm happy that I experienced the happy for now ending to their story.
May 23, 2026
The Neon Sky picks up where The Glittering Edge left off. Whilst things may seem to be ‘getting back to normal’ following the events of book one, there’s a sinister presence lurking in the background. A supernatural force that’s out for revenge and doesn’t care who gets hurt in the pursuit of that. Someone who’s dangerous and violent and out for destruction. And has their sights set on the Cosy Book Club.
“He feels his coven’s anxiety. Their fear. Their occasional attempts at magic that might unlock his situation. But the only real clue they’ve had is the tarot card Alonso pulls from Aunt Donna’s deck every single day: The Devil.”
I really enjoyed this sequel! It has the nostalgic feel of those 2010s love triangle YAs but brought into the modern day. The writing was polished, the world building was vivid and the characters were characterised so well!
Penny is trying to move on from the events of book one - she’s happy with Alonso and trying to decide what her future might hold. She really ends up going through it in this book and my heart broke for her! I love how her character progressed throughout - from her anxiety struggles in book one, to standing up for herself in book two.
Alonso is definitely being put through in this book and it was actually heartbreaking. I really like his character - from his magic, to his love for Penny and his quick wit. But we also get a different side to him in this book - his struggles and how he faces what happens to him in the sequel. I love a multifaceted character and Alonso didn’t disappoint.
Corey is struggling under the pressures from his family but also his growing feelings for Penny. He knows she’s with Alonso, but he also knows if he falls in love with her then she dies. Talk about stakes! He either has to watch the girl he’s falling for love someone else, or she dies. There’s no happy ending for him unless the curse is broken. I enjoyed how he stood apart from his family and only wanted to do the ‘right’ thing. He’s evolved since book one and I really liked his arc.
A special mention has to be made for the side characters in this - especially Dylan and Naomi.
Overall I really enjoyed this one. The tension of who Penny will end up with and the heartbreak of the one who’s left out. And the carnage that the antagonist leaves in its wake was so captivating! I had no idea how this was going to be resolved and I couldn’t put it down.
This book is bursting with magic, drama and so many reveals! If you’re looking for a gothic fantasy with a love triangle then this is the duology for you.
ARC copy provided by Penguin & NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
“He feels his coven’s anxiety. Their fear. Their occasional attempts at magic that might unlock his situation. But the only real clue they’ve had is the tarot card Alonso pulls from Aunt Donna’s deck every single day: The Devil.”
I really enjoyed this sequel! It has the nostalgic feel of those 2010s love triangle YAs but brought into the modern day. The writing was polished, the world building was vivid and the characters were characterised so well!
Penny is trying to move on from the events of book one - she’s happy with Alonso and trying to decide what her future might hold. She really ends up going through it in this book and my heart broke for her! I love how her character progressed throughout - from her anxiety struggles in book one, to standing up for herself in book two.
Alonso is definitely being put through in this book and it was actually heartbreaking. I really like his character - from his magic, to his love for Penny and his quick wit. But we also get a different side to him in this book - his struggles and how he faces what happens to him in the sequel. I love a multifaceted character and Alonso didn’t disappoint.
Corey is struggling under the pressures from his family but also his growing feelings for Penny. He knows she’s with Alonso, but he also knows if he falls in love with her then she dies. Talk about stakes! He either has to watch the girl he’s falling for love someone else, or she dies. There’s no happy ending for him unless the curse is broken. I enjoyed how he stood apart from his family and only wanted to do the ‘right’ thing. He’s evolved since book one and I really liked his arc.
A special mention has to be made for the side characters in this - especially Dylan and Naomi.
Overall I really enjoyed this one. The tension of who Penny will end up with and the heartbreak of the one who’s left out. And the carnage that the antagonist leaves in its wake was so captivating! I had no idea how this was going to be resolved and I couldn’t put it down.
This book is bursting with magic, drama and so many reveals! If you’re looking for a gothic fantasy with a love triangle then this is the duology for you.
ARC copy provided by Penguin & NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
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June 12, 2026Ended up really liking where things went and how they wrapped up! There was a second in the middle there when Corey and Penny were having there moment where I was like 🤨 because it felt a bit sudden, but I came back around.
I absolutely loved all the characters here. Each one, even the side characters had so much depth.
I’ll also say I hate when a love triangle is rendered obsolete because of some outside force (e.g. one of the suitors dies, or they move, etc) you get it. I much prefer when a choice has to be made, and that’s what happened here. Thank you Alyssa Villaire.
Only thing about this series that I couldn’t get on board with and thought was corny was the amount of physical alterations we had. But that does feel like a stereotypical high school trope, so I can forgive it. I just needed those boys to go take a walk or do some breathing exercises.
I absolutely loved all the characters here. Each one, even the side characters had so much depth.
I’ll also say I hate when a love triangle is rendered obsolete because of some outside force (e.g. one of the suitors dies, or they move, etc) you get it. I much prefer when a choice has to be made, and that’s what happened here. Thank you Alyssa Villaire.
Only thing about this series that I couldn’t get on board with and thought was corny was the amount of physical alterations we had. But that does feel like a stereotypical high school trope, so I can forgive it. I just needed those boys to go take a walk or do some breathing exercises.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 1, 2026
I just finished this book around half an hour ago after rereading „glittering edge“ last week. I went into the book with certain expectations, thinking that maybe we will now focus more on the characters being teens and just trying to solve the mystery around the family curse/ bargain. I was expecting cute moments between Alonso and Penny maybe even cozy autumn / winter vibes. The first part of the duology had an amazing summer vibe. Maybe I was expecting too much but it felt very rushed.
First of all it started off with Alonso breaking up with Penny and then yearning for each other for almost the entire book but we barely got any moments between them. TBH I started reading the books because of the premise of a goth ml and was disappointed when you could put all of their moments in to probably 10pages. There were constant weekly or monthly times skips. Wish we got more into how the characters felt. Dylan’s story was extremely skimmed through. No one ever found out about the betrayal and what she did.
James Barrion being a De Luca was in my opinion a nice plot twist but suddenly it felt like all wrongdoings were forgiven just because of the family ties. IRL most people would have went no contact already by the end of the first book.
What I absolutely despised was the rushed ending with the act | act || and more. It’s like reading the book till the end to not really know how their lives develop after the end of the plot and the way even if they are close to failure they always manage to pull the most op shit ever. That is honestly kind of annoying. Not a single character important to the story died when there were many chances. It would have bought more depth to the book given all the dangerous scenarios the cast went through.
The worst part of the story for me tho was Alonso ending up with a men bun and switching to soft goth . I will never forgive the Author for this 😭 lol
Forgive me if my review is hard to read. English is my third language.
First of all it started off with Alonso breaking up with Penny and then yearning for each other for almost the entire book but we barely got any moments between them. TBH I started reading the books because of the premise of a goth ml and was disappointed when you could put all of their moments in to probably 10pages. There were constant weekly or monthly times skips. Wish we got more into how the characters felt. Dylan’s story was extremely skimmed through. No one ever found out about the betrayal and what she did.
James Barrion being a De Luca was in my opinion a nice plot twist but suddenly it felt like all wrongdoings were forgiven just because of the family ties. IRL most people would have went no contact already by the end of the first book.
What I absolutely despised was the rushed ending with the act | act || and more. It’s like reading the book till the end to not really know how their lives develop after the end of the plot and the way even if they are close to failure they always manage to pull the most op shit ever. That is honestly kind of annoying. Not a single character important to the story died when there were many chances. It would have bought more depth to the book given all the dangerous scenarios the cast went through.
The worst part of the story for me tho was Alonso ending up with a men bun and switching to soft goth . I will never forgive the Author for this 😭 lol
Forgive me if my review is hard to read. English is my third language.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 23, 2026
Its Okay to Love them Both!
I am referring to both books in this series by @alyssavillaire ! The Glittering Edge and The Neon Sky! Thank you so much for letting me read both as ARCs on netgalley!
This is actually a great conclusion to the story. It had a dimension of its own drama that followed us from Book 1, unsuspecting and I was worried for a minute! But I actually enjoyed that it gave more character development and time and we got to know a few others better too!
A younger take on witchy vibes too which was nice! Family drama follows of course and a plot twist to boot! It was a great read!
If your looking for some love triangle, witchy, YA this is the place to go!
I am referring to both books in this series by @alyssavillaire ! The Glittering Edge and The Neon Sky! Thank you so much for letting me read both as ARCs on netgalley!
This is actually a great conclusion to the story. It had a dimension of its own drama that followed us from Book 1, unsuspecting and I was worried for a minute! But I actually enjoyed that it gave more character development and time and we got to know a few others better too!
A younger take on witchy vibes too which was nice! Family drama follows of course and a plot twist to boot! It was a great read!
If your looking for some love triangle, witchy, YA this is the place to go!
August 9, 2026
This was 2.5⭐️ for me, rounded up. I really loved the Glittering Edge so was very excited to read the second part. I was hoping for more magic, more exploration of what being possessed was doing to Alonso and no love triangle. There was a love triangle and not nearly enough magic. The "love cancelled out the bargain and dark magic" made me roll my eyes. Also, I feel that certain events in some scenes during the ending and that tried to explain what was going on were rushed, while other parts dragged. While some of the multiple POV's were interesting, I also felt that there may have been a bit too many and the focus on the 3 main characters was not as much as it should have been.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 27, 2026
Thank you for this book🩵
May 27, 2026
I loved this duology so much! 🥰 The epilogue was perfection
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3 stars!
Thank you to Little Brown Books, Alyssa Villaire, and Netgalley for the ARC!!
I enjoyed most parts of this book! It was a pretty good follow up, but there are things that fell flat or bothered me
I know this was gonna be a love triangle centered series, but it really made it hard for me to get into
I don't normally like them, but I was hoping it wouldn't completely go that way
All of the miscommunication and switching love interest choices... bothered me so badly
I'm glad it developed into a good character arcs for all of them, especially Corey. But it was aggravating that things kept flipping around
The story came to a pretty good ending - it was beneficial for all of the characters and the ending was honestly very cute
I think this was a pretty action packed ending to the story too! I was glad it was more fast paced. It was a fun series! I think the vibes of the book were immaculate, and it had a lot of good parts, and the characters all felt very individualistic and real. There was a lot of plot points, and the main one wrapped up nicely - but there was a lot of other plots to focus on that it made the reading experience somewhat overloaded sometimes
Overall it was fun!
Thank you to Little Brown Books, Alyssa Villaire, and Netgalley for the ARC!!
I enjoyed most parts of this book! It was a pretty good follow up, but there are things that fell flat or bothered me
I know this was gonna be a love triangle centered series, but it really made it hard for me to get into
I don't normally like them, but I was hoping it wouldn't completely go that way
All of the miscommunication and switching love interest choices... bothered me so badly
I'm glad it developed into a good character arcs for all of them, especially Corey. But it was aggravating that things kept flipping around
The story came to a pretty good ending - it was beneficial for all of the characters and the ending was honestly very cute
I think this was a pretty action packed ending to the story too! I was glad it was more fast paced. It was a fun series! I think the vibes of the book were immaculate, and it had a lot of good parts, and the characters all felt very individualistic and real. There was a lot of plot points, and the main one wrapped up nicely - but there was a lot of other plots to focus on that it made the reading experience somewhat overloaded sometimes
Overall it was fun!
May 20, 2026
The Neon Sky absolutely wrecked me emotionally and I loved every second of it.
What an ending. This book had me stressed, emotional, angry, soft, then stressed again every five minutes. There were SO many moments where I wanted to throw my Kindle across the room because Alyssa really loves keeping us suffering apparently 🤣
The conclusion was such a rollercoaster but in the best way possible. Every twist actually hit, the emotions felt real, and the tension never let up. I kept thinking “surely we can rest now?” and the answer was always no.
And Alonso… yeah I still love him, your honour. No thoughts, just Alonso. Even when I was frustrated, I was still rooting for him the entire time.
What I really loved was that the ending felt earned. The emotional moments hit hard because the journey to get there was messy, painful, and chaotic in the best way.
Honestly one of those books that leaves you staring at the ceiling afterwards trying to recover emotionally instead of acting like a functioning human being. Fantastic conclusion and now I need emotional compensation 💔🔥
What an ending. This book had me stressed, emotional, angry, soft, then stressed again every five minutes. There were SO many moments where I wanted to throw my Kindle across the room because Alyssa really loves keeping us suffering apparently 🤣
The conclusion was such a rollercoaster but in the best way possible. Every twist actually hit, the emotions felt real, and the tension never let up. I kept thinking “surely we can rest now?” and the answer was always no.
And Alonso… yeah I still love him, your honour. No thoughts, just Alonso. Even when I was frustrated, I was still rooting for him the entire time.
What I really loved was that the ending felt earned. The emotional moments hit hard because the journey to get there was messy, painful, and chaotic in the best way.
Honestly one of those books that leaves you staring at the ceiling afterwards trying to recover emotionally instead of acting like a functioning human being. Fantastic conclusion and now I need emotional compensation 💔🔥
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
After devouring The Glittering Edge a few months ago, I have been so excited (and desperate) for its sequel, The Neon Sky! In book 1, I absolutely fell in love with the characters, setting and the story as Villaire's dynamic and addicting writing made it hard for me to put the book down. Thankfully, my experience with The Neon Sky was no different! Once I got to the halfway mark, I absolutely flew through this book! The level of action and drama was off the charts and I mourned the fact that I had to put it down to go to work!! In this book, there is a large focus on character growth, particularly for Corey and Penny, as well as giving us a deeper look into the secondary cast with new and exciting POVs that also allowed for a more well-rounded and expansive story.
To say I adore the principal cast is an understatement! Penny reminds me so much of myself, so I found her development to be so inspiring and really beautiful! I felt like she really came into her own within this book, and I enjoyed this new and exciting side of her that was explored as we progressed through the novel! Additionally, Corey's journey had my heart hurting for him and I'm genuinely so pleased with the ending that we got for him! The same goes for Alonso! There were moments that really stressed me out but I was ultimately so happy with the outcome of his story! I would just adore more of these characters and I wished I could drag this book out just so I didn't have to leave such wonderful characters and a town as cozy as Idlewood!
The deeper look at the politics of magic usage was very interesting to me also so if I were to see more from this world, I'd love to delve into the Council of Witches and all of the various pockets of their inner workings! The magic system was woven so nicely within the plot that it was almost seamless! The plot of this book was super exciting with so many twists and turns that it was almost hard to keep track!
Overall, I had such a wonderful experience reading this book and I can't wait to (hopefully) see more from Alyssa Villaire in the future! The Idlewood Duology was such a fun, exciting and wonderfully expressive series that had me captivated from start to finish! With relatable and lovable characters, a close and cozy small town setting, and a magically driven plot, this series has wormed itself in my brain and I'll be thinking about it for a long time after finishing it!
🚨SPOILERS🚨
To say I adore the principal cast is an understatement! Penny reminds me so much of myself, so I found her development to be so inspiring and really beautiful! I felt like she really came into her own within this book, and I enjoyed this new and exciting side of her that was explored as we progressed through the novel! Additionally, Corey's journey had my heart hurting for him and I'm genuinely so pleased with the ending that we got for him! The same goes for Alonso! There were moments that really stressed me out but I was ultimately so happy with the outcome of his story! I would just adore more of these characters and I wished I could drag this book out just so I didn't have to leave such wonderful characters and a town as cozy as Idlewood!
The deeper look at the politics of magic usage was very interesting to me also so if I were to see more from this world, I'd love to delve into the Council of Witches and all of the various pockets of their inner workings! The magic system was woven so nicely within the plot that it was almost seamless! The plot of this book was super exciting with so many twists and turns that it was almost hard to keep track!
Overall, I had such a wonderful experience reading this book and I can't wait to (hopefully) see more from Alyssa Villaire in the future! The Idlewood Duology was such a fun, exciting and wonderfully expressive series that had me captivated from start to finish! With relatable and lovable characters, a close and cozy small town setting, and a magically driven plot, this series has wormed itself in my brain and I'll be thinking about it for a long time after finishing it!
🚨SPOILERS🚨
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