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The Idlewood Duology #2
The Neon Sky
Not yet published
Expected 21 May 26Win a free print copy of this book!
6 days and 15:20:46
5 copies available
U.S. only
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 steep: 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 question: 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 steep: 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 question: 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.
400 pages, Paperback
Expected publication May 21, 2026
8 people are currently reading
4267 people want to read
About the author
Alyssa Villaire
6 books156 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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February 26, 2025that cliffhanger
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
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.
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.
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🚨
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Title: The Neon Sky ( The Glittering Edge Book 2)
Author: Alyssa Villaire
Synopsis: 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—especially Penny and Corey? 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.
Review: When it comes to sequels sometimes not always are not as good as the first book! In this case I loved reading this the entire time! There was never a dull moment I didn’t want to put this book down and I will admit I postponed finishing it the day before because I couldn’t bring myself to say goodbye to the world and characters that Alyssa Villaire has created! This was even more action packed then book one! There was more drama and action! It was never slow or boring I was invested! It was such a great balance of everything and I’m not gonna lie, I wish she would write more books in this series! However, I do think its ending was perfect! I’m just sad it’s the end! Although I pray one day she will write at least one more book to see what all of the characters are up to when they are adults!
I want to than NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book in advance!
Author: Alyssa Villaire
Synopsis: 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—especially Penny and Corey? 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.
Review: When it comes to sequels sometimes not always are not as good as the first book! In this case I loved reading this the entire time! There was never a dull moment I didn’t want to put this book down and I will admit I postponed finishing it the day before because I couldn’t bring myself to say goodbye to the world and characters that Alyssa Villaire has created! This was even more action packed then book one! There was more drama and action! It was never slow or boring I was invested! It was such a great balance of everything and I’m not gonna lie, I wish she would write more books in this series! However, I do think its ending was perfect! I’m just sad it’s the end! Although I pray one day she will write at least one more book to see what all of the characters are up to when they are adults!
I want to than NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book in advance!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Leaving Idlewood behind feels like waking up from a fever dream that I never wanted it to end!!
After the way things were left hanging, I was desperate to get my hands on this conclusion to see if Penny, Alonso, and Corey could actually outrun the shadows of their families. The transition from the sweltering heat of the first book to this biting, crisp autumn air was such a mood, perfectly setting the stage for the much darker magic closing in on them.
The story drops us right back into the wreckage of that broken bargain.
Corey is essentially drowning in the guilt of the Barrion name, while Alonso is fighting a losing battle against the spirit of his grandfather. Watching Giovanni slowly try to turn Alonso into a vessel for his own twisted power was easily the most stressful part of the journey.
What really kept me hooked, though, was the distinct, electric chemistry Penny shares with both of them.
- With Alonso, it is that intense, soul-deep connection that feels so fragile under the weight of his possession.
- With Corey, she has this jagged, magnetic tension. They are both so broken by the shared trauma they’ve endured which ends up with them reaching for each other in the dark causing an unpredictable pull between them.
I am giving this a solid four stars because even though the middle felt a bit slow with all the internal brooding, the payoff was worth every second. The ending was honestly perfect. After all the chaos and the terrifying possibility of losing Alonso to his grandfather’s ghost, the way everything wrapped up felt so incredibly right. It tied up every loose end and gave the story the closure I was craving, leaving me feeling satisfied rather than haunted. It is rare to find a finale that clears the air so completely, making it feel like the sun has finally come up over Idlewood for good.
> Tropes:
● Star-Crossed Lovers
● Gothic Small Town
● Body Possession
● Layered Chemistry
● Love Triangle
● The Cost of Magic
● Found Family
*Thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown Books for the ARC*
After the way things were left hanging, I was desperate to get my hands on this conclusion to see if Penny, Alonso, and Corey could actually outrun the shadows of their families. The transition from the sweltering heat of the first book to this biting, crisp autumn air was such a mood, perfectly setting the stage for the much darker magic closing in on them.
The story drops us right back into the wreckage of that broken bargain.
Corey is essentially drowning in the guilt of the Barrion name, while Alonso is fighting a losing battle against the spirit of his grandfather. Watching Giovanni slowly try to turn Alonso into a vessel for his own twisted power was easily the most stressful part of the journey.
What really kept me hooked, though, was the distinct, electric chemistry Penny shares with both of them.
- With Alonso, it is that intense, soul-deep connection that feels so fragile under the weight of his possession.
- With Corey, she has this jagged, magnetic tension. They are both so broken by the shared trauma they’ve endured which ends up with them reaching for each other in the dark causing an unpredictable pull between them.
I am giving this a solid four stars because even though the middle felt a bit slow with all the internal brooding, the payoff was worth every second. The ending was honestly perfect. After all the chaos and the terrifying possibility of losing Alonso to his grandfather’s ghost, the way everything wrapped up felt so incredibly right. It tied up every loose end and gave the story the closure I was craving, leaving me feeling satisfied rather than haunted. It is rare to find a finale that clears the air so completely, making it feel like the sun has finally come up over Idlewood for good.
> Tropes:
● Star-Crossed Lovers
● Gothic Small Town
● Body Possession
● Layered Chemistry
● Love Triangle
● The Cost of Magic
● Found Family
*Thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown Books for the ARC*
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is the sequel The Glittering Edge deserves! I was lucky enough to win a copy of the first novel in this duology back in November at YALC and I absolutely devoured it so quickly. At that point, I knew we were getting a sequel so I had been waiting for this very badly, even if just for a few months. And once I got it, I just flew through, as with the first installment. The way Alyssa Villaire writes, it is just so easy to read and addictive putting the book down is almost physically painful. So yes, I started reading Sunday morning and by the evening, I was already through, reeling in the buzz The Neon Sky gave me.
The world of The Glittering Edge is already established super well in the first book, but in The Neon Sky, Villaire does manage to add new flare and details to enrich it even more. The characters, too, get to grow and become even more than they were before. We get to see more relationships explored and more of the side characters, though, no matter how much of Naomi we got in The Neon Sky, I will say it will never be enough for me, I just love her so much and would read anything about her. But anyway, overall every character gets a lot of room to shine in this book which I always love. More lore to magic is added and it's so intriguing. Everything is super fast paced, yet things wrap up perfectly, in my opinion, and there is enough, but not too much closure.
Summarizing, I loved The Neon Sky and adore the whole duology. Despite constantly aging more and more out of the intended YA age range, this book felt perfect for me and I absolutely recommend it to readers of any age that love magic and found family. Can't wait to see what Villaire writes next!
Thank you, Penguin Random House UK Children's | Penguin NetGalley, for providing me with this eARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions and views expressed are my own.
The world of The Glittering Edge is already established super well in the first book, but in The Neon Sky, Villaire does manage to add new flare and details to enrich it even more. The characters, too, get to grow and become even more than they were before. We get to see more relationships explored and more of the side characters, though, no matter how much of Naomi we got in The Neon Sky, I will say it will never be enough for me, I just love her so much and would read anything about her. But anyway, overall every character gets a lot of room to shine in this book which I always love. More lore to magic is added and it's so intriguing. Everything is super fast paced, yet things wrap up perfectly, in my opinion, and there is enough, but not too much closure.
Summarizing, I loved The Neon Sky and adore the whole duology. Despite constantly aging more and more out of the intended YA age range, this book felt perfect for me and I absolutely recommend it to readers of any age that love magic and found family. Can't wait to see what Villaire writes next!
Thank you, Penguin Random House UK Children's | Penguin NetGalley, for providing me with this eARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions and views expressed are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, and Alyssa Villaire for the opportunity to read and review an Advance Reader Copy of this book!
I’m going to be really honest: I’m genuinely sad to say that I wish this book had worked better for me.
After reading Glittering Edge, I was so excited about the possibilities this sequel could explore. The potential for deeper relationships, stronger friendships, higher stakes, and more intense rivalries sounded incredible.
Sadly, the execution just didn’t fully come together for me.
A lot of the story felt driven by miscommunication, and combined with the love triangle elements, the overall dynamic started to feel frustrating rather than compelling. Around the 30% mark was when I had my first major “what is happening?” moment, and from there, the pacing and direction of the story started to lose me.
It often felt like not much was actually happening, and when conflict did arise, it mostly came from characters refusing to communicate with each other. Unfortunately, that made the story feel repetitive at times and difficult for me to stay emotionally invested in.
What makes this more disappointing is that I can clearly see the idea of what this book wanted to be, and there were aspects of the premise I genuinely liked. I just sadly don’t think the execution fully delivered on that potential.
I’ll be giving this a 3-star rating on Goodreads and NetGalley, though personally it sits closer to a 2.5-star read for me.
Thank you again to NetGalley, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, and Alyssa Villaire for the opportunity to read and review an Advance Reader Copy of this book!
I’m going to be really honest: I’m genuinely sad to say that I wish this book had worked better for me.
After reading Glittering Edge, I was so excited about the possibilities this sequel could explore. The potential for deeper relationships, stronger friendships, higher stakes, and more intense rivalries sounded incredible.
Sadly, the execution just didn’t fully come together for me.
A lot of the story felt driven by miscommunication, and combined with the love triangle elements, the overall dynamic started to feel frustrating rather than compelling. Around the 30% mark was when I had my first major “what is happening?” moment, and from there, the pacing and direction of the story started to lose me.
It often felt like not much was actually happening, and when conflict did arise, it mostly came from characters refusing to communicate with each other. Unfortunately, that made the story feel repetitive at times and difficult for me to stay emotionally invested in.
What makes this more disappointing is that I can clearly see the idea of what this book wanted to be, and there were aspects of the premise I genuinely liked. I just sadly don’t think the execution fully delivered on that potential.
I’ll be giving this a 3-star rating on Goodreads and NetGalley, though personally it sits closer to a 2.5-star read for me.
Thank you again to NetGalley, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, and Alyssa Villaire for the opportunity to read and review an Advance Reader Copy of this book!
April 21, 2026
Some spoilers ahead - this is a sequel!
PLOT - So this was so much fun and being in this town with these characters is such a cozy vibe! 🙌 The story takes place a couple of months after the first and with the massive cliffhanger from the first, you’re itching to find out what’s happened in that time 😬
It did start to reach a point in the plot where I wanted un-possessed Alonso back as I just missed him and his relationship with Penny so I was very happy when that finally happened 🙌 I LOVED the little exorcist scene with the De Luca Coven though, it was very Practical Magic ✨
CHARACTERS- I liked that we get a lot more POVs in this, as there are so many secrets between characters, I feel like this is needed to further the plot along while maintaining a good pace 🙏I thought the introduction of Marley was a fun addition to the group and Giovanni made for a great villain.
The hints of a love triangle were fine but Corey did nothing for me as a love interest, I think he’s initially too selfish and quick to put himself first and even when he evolves, he doesn’t have any chemistry with Penny imo. But it was nice to see his character grow in this one 💕
A beautiful ending to a lovely duology!
Thank you so much to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
PLOT - So this was so much fun and being in this town with these characters is such a cozy vibe! 🙌 The story takes place a couple of months after the first and with the massive cliffhanger from the first, you’re itching to find out what’s happened in that time 😬
It did start to reach a point in the plot where I wanted un-possessed Alonso back as I just missed him and his relationship with Penny so I was very happy when that finally happened 🙌 I LOVED the little exorcist scene with the De Luca Coven though, it was very Practical Magic ✨
CHARACTERS- I liked that we get a lot more POVs in this, as there are so many secrets between characters, I feel like this is needed to further the plot along while maintaining a good pace 🙏I thought the introduction of Marley was a fun addition to the group and Giovanni made for a great villain.
The hints of a love triangle were fine but Corey did nothing for me as a love interest, I think he’s initially too selfish and quick to put himself first and even when he evolves, he doesn’t have any chemistry with Penny imo. But it was nice to see his character grow in this one 💕
A beautiful ending to a lovely duology!
Thank you so much to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.25 stars
The Neon Sky was a decent follow up to The Glittering Edge but the focus on the love triangle took away some enjoyment for me. It wasn’t a large part of the first book which worked but was a lot more prevalent in the sequel despite the outcome being obvious.
Once again I enjoyed the witchy vibes to the book and the spooky atmosphere. There was a fair amount of teen angst and a lot of action to keep the pace up. A lot of the side characters return and we get a couple of new povs (albeit only briefly). One issue I have is that the characters didn’t feel like they had grown/matured since the events in book one. Penny is quite a frustrating main character. I wish she stood up for herself more and had some self worth. Corey was still a bit bland and Alonso remained the most interesting character to follow. His (two) povs were entertaining and I wish we had more of a focus on his ending. Speaking of the ending, it was a bit abrupt with some loose ends.
If you enjoyed the first book then I think you will enjoy The Neon Sky.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for access to this ARC.
The Neon Sky was a decent follow up to The Glittering Edge but the focus on the love triangle took away some enjoyment for me. It wasn’t a large part of the first book which worked but was a lot more prevalent in the sequel despite the outcome being obvious.
Once again I enjoyed the witchy vibes to the book and the spooky atmosphere. There was a fair amount of teen angst and a lot of action to keep the pace up. A lot of the side characters return and we get a couple of new povs (albeit only briefly). One issue I have is that the characters didn’t feel like they had grown/matured since the events in book one. Penny is quite a frustrating main character. I wish she stood up for herself more and had some self worth. Corey was still a bit bland and Alonso remained the most interesting character to follow. His (two) povs were entertaining and I wish we had more of a focus on his ending. Speaking of the ending, it was a bit abrupt with some loose ends.
If you enjoyed the first book then I think you will enjoy The Neon Sky.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for access to this ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
While I love the notion of this being a duology, the ending of this book left something to be desired. Our story picks up where book one left off. The plot of this story was just as engaging and entertaining as A Glittering Edge. I also really enjoyed the introduction of several new characters. However, the ending of the book seemed rushed. I also felt like this book focused more on teenage angst and drama, whereas, the first book was more focused on solving the problems presented within the plot’s context. I don’t mind a bit of drama, but this took up a majority of the book. Overall, I enjoyed The Neon Sky, but I wish it had focused less on teen drama and more on developing a more complex ending to the story. Especially considering how much I fell in love with the characters and the concept of these small town witches in book one.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5 ⭐️
Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Random House for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
What a sequel. One of my most anticipated reads of the year and holyyy, this was so good.
I was constantly on the edge of my seat. The pacing was fast, addictive, shocking twists and turns and so much character growth and development. I love these characters so much.
My boy Alonso!! Man he really went through it in this one.
I am overall happy with how it ended, I feel it may have been a little fast but I did miss Penny and Alonso's connection in this and would have loved to see more from the ending.
I could easily read more/any novellas for this series plus anything else Alyssa Villaire writes!
Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Random House for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
What a sequel. One of my most anticipated reads of the year and holyyy, this was so good.
I was constantly on the edge of my seat. The pacing was fast, addictive, shocking twists and turns and so much character growth and development. I love these characters so much.
My boy Alonso!! Man he really went through it in this one.
I am overall happy with how it ended, I feel it may have been a little fast but I did miss Penny and Alonso's connection in this and would have loved to see more from the ending.
I could easily read more/any novellas for this series plus anything else Alyssa Villaire writes!
January 15, 2026
Thank you to Hachette for the eARC of this book! Where to begin - this was such a thrilling sequel to the first book. I couldn't put it down (literally read it while eating dinner and while I was on the train) - it was fast paced yet all the characters got great development and their time to shine. I especially loved Penny's character development and her friendships with the rest of the crew. There's a few fun new characters and twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat. This is definitely one of my favorite duologies of all time. I can't wait for others to read the book so I can hear their thoughts too!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to natgalley and penguin for the earc of this!
This book was my most anticipated book of the year and I have extremely high expectations for it! It exceeded all of my expectations and I adored it!
Reading this duology made me feel nostalgic even though its only come out in the last year! I adore the characters and Penny dealing with her anxiety and learning how to cope with it. I also love the setting and all of the families.
There were plot twists that made me gasp and I loved that!
Overall one of my favourites of the year and a great end to the duology, it finished in a very satisfying way!
Probably one of the most exciting arcs I have read!!
This book was my most anticipated book of the year and I have extremely high expectations for it! It exceeded all of my expectations and I adored it!
Reading this duology made me feel nostalgic even though its only come out in the last year! I adore the characters and Penny dealing with her anxiety and learning how to cope with it. I also love the setting and all of the families.
There were plot twists that made me gasp and I loved that!
Overall one of my favourites of the year and a great end to the duology, it finished in a very satisfying way!
Probably one of the most exciting arcs I have read!!
April 19, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.75/5
The Neon Sky is the sweeping, emotional sequel to The Glittering Edge.
I absolutely loved this one. The character development was excellent, and revisiting the vibrant cast was delightful. The romance was beautiful and tender, and the ending was excellent. The plot was addictive and well-developed, and the pacing was engaging. I loved diving deeper into the magic system and world-building. Alyssa Villaire’s prose was beautiful, relatable, and captivating. I highly recommend this incredible sequel!
Thank you to the publisher for the free copy!
The Neon Sky is the sweeping, emotional sequel to The Glittering Edge.
I absolutely loved this one. The character development was excellent, and revisiting the vibrant cast was delightful. The romance was beautiful and tender, and the ending was excellent. The plot was addictive and well-developed, and the pacing was engaging. I loved diving deeper into the magic system and world-building. Alyssa Villaire’s prose was beautiful, relatable, and captivating. I highly recommend this incredible sequel!
Thank you to the publisher for the free copy!
May 4, 2026
One of the arcs I most wanted to read this year after absolutely adoring The Glittering Edge… (one of my top books of 2025) It was everything I wanted it to be! Carried straight on from the last book. Magic and possession feuding families (Romeo and Juliet vibes) and characters to obsess about. I didn’t think I liked loved triangles since Twilight, but this proved me wrong! Full of anguish, longing and betrayal that was so intense that it was impossible to stop reading! Plus an awesome feline familiar for good measure!
February 20, 2026
Rating: 4🌟
This was such a fun sequel. I was very excited to be back with this cast of characters. I really enjoyed each of the characters growth throughout the book.
Thank you NetGalley for providing an E-arc.
This was such a fun sequel. I was very excited to be back with this cast of characters. I really enjoyed each of the characters growth throughout the book.
Thank you NetGalley for providing an E-arc.
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