Name: Hocus Pocus & The All New Sequel
Rating: 3.484615384615385 (65 reviews)

A.W. Jantha

Hocus Pocus & The All New Sequel

Daisy Barker 

“On All Hallows’ Eve, when the moon is round, a virgin will summon us from under the ground.

And the lives of all the children in Salem shall be mine!”

Last words, as recorded in the journal of Samuel Parris

A. W. Jantha

Hocus Pocus is beloved by Halloween enthusiasts all over the world. Diving once more into the world of witches, this New York Times bestselling two-part young adult novel, released on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the 1993 film, marks a new era of Hocus Pocus. Fans will be spellbound by a fresh retelling of the original film, followed by the all-new sequel that continues the story with the next generation of Salem teens. Shortly after moving from California to Salem, Massachusetts, Max Dennison finds himself in hot water when he accidentally releases a coven of witches, the Sanderson sisters, from the afterlife. Max, his sister, and his new friends (human and otherwise) must find a way to stop the witches from carrying out their evil plan and remaining on earth to torment Salem for all eternity. Twenty-five years later, Max and Allison's seventeen-year-old daughter, Poppy, finds herself face-to-face with the Sanderson sisters in all their sinister glory. When Halloween celebrations don't quite go as planned, it's a race against time as Poppy and her friends fight to save her family and all of Salem from the witches' latest vile scheme.

Hocus Pocus and The All-New Sequel

Rebecca Hurd

Love love love…part one is literally a literary version of the original movie which was soon fun to read!! Pet mart two was adorable!! Definitely different than the new movie sequel it kept me interested and I liked seeing where old characters ended up and the new characters were absolutely amazing!!!!

Dee B. 

I don't know that I like the ending of this one.

Shereen Evans

This was a book that kept me wanting to read for long periods of time. First off I have loved Hocus Pocus since it came out and when they came out with a book and a new sequel I quickly picked it up. I know that the book came out a bit ago and it sat on my self until I read it. So here it is in January and i finally picked it up. I was not sure about the sequel since I knew how the first one ended but I must say the sequel part did not disappoint!! This is a 5 star from me and will definitely be reading it again around Halloween if not sooner.

Marissa Davis

Nostalgia at it’s finest!!! I really enjoyed that not only did they bring the original back to life. But for new readers you get 2 books in one. You will get to read about how it all began. In the second part of the book she get to see it continue. But does this story really have a ending??? We will never know for sure.

Shan

I love all things Halloween and Hocus Pocus. The sequel did not disappoint and I can't wait for the movie sequel

Jana Jenkinns 

****REVIEW HAS BEEN POSTED ON BOTH BLOGSPOT & WORDPRESS ***
Find both links here : www.linktr.ee/bookishwiccan


I can't even handle this book, and I ESPECIALLY cannot handle the ending. 

It's just a bunch of hocus pocus, and I absolutely adored it. 

Stay tuned into my blog for an upcoming review!

Hocus Pocus is beloved by Halloween enthusiasts all over the world. Diving once more into the world of witches, this electrifying two-part young adult novel, released on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the 1993 film, marks a new era of Hocus Pocus. Fans will be spellbound by a fresh retelling of the original film, followed by the all-new sequel that continues the story with the next generation of Salem teens. Shortly after moving from California to Salem, Max Dennison finds himself in hot water when he accidentally releases a coven of witches from the afterlife. Max, his sister, and his new friends (human and otherwise) must find a way to stop the witches from carrying out their evil plan and remaining on Earth to torment Salem for all eternity. Twenty-five years later, Max and Allison's seventeen-year-old daughter, Poppy, finds herself face-to-face with the Sanderson sisters in all their sinister glory. When Halloween celebrations don't quite go as planned, it's a race against time as Poppy and her friends fight to save her family and all of Salem from the witches' latest death-defying scheme.

Desiree Wills

Loved this. The sequel just makes me want more and I loved how it was written. The characters were lovable and it gave me the same feeling that watching the movie gives me. 

Kate Gravelle

While it was an easy read it was a little tedious with every little thing going wrong over and over. I also hoped for more detail in the first half.

Candyce Kirk

I loved the spin on this story! The way it ended though makes me wonder if we will get another book.
Full review to come soon!

Jessica Williamson

4 Stars

*Part 2 Review October 2021*

Hey I finally made it back to this one! Part two was definitely a ride! There were plenty of moments with our main trio (and Binx!) to make it feel plenty nostalgic!

I like the addition of the fourth Sanderson sister and what she brought to modern times. Also our main trio this time includes a Sapphic romance and POC so definitely more inclusive than the original. It wasn't a literary masterpiece or anything, but I had a good time reading it.

*Part 1 Review October 2018*

Let me first start off by saying I'm considering this "completed" but I've only read the first part so far. I'm not sure when I'll get to the second part, but I definitely want to! 

There's not much to say here except this is basically a book version of the movie and everything is ALMOST exactly the same.

The part I liked is that because we get inside the characters minds, unlike before, we get a little more of what is motivating them.

There's also a side plot, that maybe there are other Sanderson witches out there, that was super interesting. I have a theory. I'm sure these are based off of theories people have had for years about the original and I'm sure it plays a part in the sequel but I guess we'll have to wait until I read that part to find out!

Alex Landau

The novelization of the movie was really good. The feel of the movie was kept while adding to what we saw originally. It was a lot of fun to read.

The sequel... frankly, it just wasn't as good. It very much felt like someone wrote a script but they weren't sure how it would work so they rewrote it as a story. There were moments where it was clearly there for a movie because it didn't make sense to write out in a novel. Characters were clearly there for the nostalgia and could have been cut by giving their job to someone else. Overall, it just felt like they were trying too hard and it just didn't do much for me. 

laura

I actually think this will be a prefect halloween read! I think for younger kids who never watched the movie (the horror!!) the first part of this book was nice recap of the original story. But i was really invested in part two. I liked how the leads were connected to the family overall but also how different the story was. I just loved how diverse the cast was and also how the magic effected the story. I really enjoyed learning more about the sanderson family! It was super fun read and I think it will make a great fall read!

Renee Delcourt

Paige Green

Disclaimer: I bought this book on my own! Yay me!

Rating: 5/5

Publication Date: July 10, 2018

Genre: YA Paranormal

Recommended Age: 13+ (slight violence, some campy moments, some cheesy and slightly adult jokes, witchcraft, virgins, and black flame candles)

Pages: 521

Author Website

Amazon Link

Synopsis: Hocus Pocus is beloved by Halloween enthusiasts all over the world. Diving once more into the world of witches, this electrifying two-part young adult novel, released on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the 1993 film, marks a new era of Hocus Pocus. Fans will be spellbound by a fresh retelling of the original film, followed by the all-new sequel that continues the story with the next generation of Salem teens.

Shortly after moving from California to Salem, Massachusetts, Max Dennison finds himself in hot water when he accidentally releases a coven of witches, the Sanderson sisters, from the afterlife. Max, his sister, and his new friends (human and otherwise) must find a way to stop the witches from carrying out their evil plan and remaining on earth to torment Salem for all eternity.

Twenty-five years later, Max and Allison's seventeen-year-old daughter, Poppy, finds herself face-to-face with the Sanderson sisters in all their sinister glory. When Halloween celebrations don't quite go as planned, it's a race against time as Poppy and her friends fight to save her family and all of Salem from the witches' latest death-defying scheme.

If you were anywhere in the 90s or if you watch any TV during the Halloween season, then you know the story of the Sanderson Sisters from Salem Massachusetts. They’re famous and they’re one of the most quotable shows ever. So when I heard about this book which would feature the original story and then a new story (with a movie to follow) I was super skeptical that it would be any good. But damn I was wrong. It added so much to the original story that made it feel like the movie literally came from a book and the sequel was super good as well. The characters were developed and came to life, the sequel didn’t feel too campy, and the plot kept me interested in both stories until the end. There’s also excellent LGBT+/POC representation in this book.

The only complaint I would say about this book is that it does leave the reader on a huge cliffhanger and the book does have a lot going on in it. I think maybe it could have been even more expanded out and spaced out, but that’s a personal preference of mine because I want to read more.

Verdict: If you love Halloween you’ll love this book.

Megan Leprich

I have been obsessed with the movie Hocus Pocus since I was little so I knew I had to read this. The author did a fantastic job of condensing the movie in the beginning of the book and then starting the sequel. I loved all the characters and I loved how everyone came back, it wasn't just the new people. Excellent excellent story and am I the only one that can hope they'll turn this sequel into the new movie?

Luisina Rivoira

SO.MANY.PUNS
Way too many.

More like a 2.5, really.

Becca Futrell

Note: I did not read the first half of Hocus Pocus & the All-New Sequel, as it was just a rehashing of the film & I wasn’t here for that. This review will strictly be based on the All-New Sequel portion.

’tis the season for spooky vibes & major nostalgia, amiright? Kaleena from Reader Voracious & I chose to bring in the Halloween season with a Hocus Pocus & the All-New Sequel buddy read! It provided us with a decent dosage of giggles & ghoulish shenanigans!

Hocus Pocus & the All-New Sequel takes place twenty-five years after Max lit the black flame candle, and follows his daughter, Poppy, through her own Halloween experience versus the Sanderson Sisters. Hocus Pocus & the All-New Sequel features a new cast of faces, alongside the faces we already know & love.

What would a Hocus Pocus story be without the Sanderson sisters? One of my favorite aspects of Hocus Pocus & the All-New Sequel is that I read every line of the Sanderson sisters in their voices. Perhaps that has to do with the fact that I’ve seen the movie 822 times, but more likely it’s due to the book staying true to the witches’ characters. Reading this book was just like watching a movie — I was able to envision everything.

& in general, it was just nice to have the Sanderson sisters back. I know we’ve all been waiting for an announcement that Hocus Pocus will have a film-sequel. There’s been several rumors, but alas, nothing has happened. I truly hope that this book will inspire a new film, but if not, I’m so glad that I at least have this story to hold me over.

One thing that Kaleena and I discussed was how we didn’t care much for the new cast of teenage characters. As she had mentioned to me, she felt a disconnect between their age (17 years old) & their actions, and I’d absolutely have to agree. I wasn’t a big fan of their dialogue — it felt too hip, I guess? But, it’s me talking, and I say words like hella & dope on a daily basis.

There is a LGBT element in Hocus Pocus & the All-New Sequel, and ya girl is always here for that. It didn’t feel too forced; the characters were treated as people, and their story didn’t center around the fact that a female character liked another female character. I wouldn’t say that I’m a die-hard shipper, but I appreciated their relationship so much.

Of course, we know that by the end of a Hocus Pocus story, the protagonists will win & the Sanderson sisters will go back to Hell, but the adventure still managed to keep me reading. Right when it feels as if the conflict will be resolved, something flies in on their Swiffer Wet-Jet & ruins the whole darn thing. In general, the adventure that Hocus Pocus & the All-New Sequel takes you on is worth the read.

Binx & Emily makes a come back in Hocus Pocus & the All-New Sequel! Granted, I love Binx as a talking cat (listen, I’m a cat person), which is not the form he arrives in, but I still loved seeing a favorite face return.

Also, listen, one of my favorite aspects of the entire book is the spirit board. With words such as Hey, Ghoul, Hey & Ghoul, Bye written on the board, I knew this board was for me. If anyone could figure out where to purchase one of these for Kaleena & myself, let us know.

In general, Hocus Pocus & the All-New Sequel was better than expected. I wouldn’t say it’s the best — but it was cute & fun & definitely provided me with the nostalgia factor that I needed.

Krystal Pollock

The original hocus pocus was great. But wasnt a fan of the sequel. Just couldn't get into it

Hocus Pocus & The All New Sequel

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