My Thoughts: Hocus Pocus and the All-New Sequel by A.W. Jantha

Hocus Pocus and the All-New Sequel
by A.W. Jantha

Publication Date: July 10th 2018
Publisher: Freeform
Pages: 512
ISBN: 9781368020039
Genre: Young Adult | Fantasy | Witches
Source: Publisher Collaboration

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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. (Goodreads)

Hocus Pocus is one of my most favorite Halloween movies ever, so imagine my excitement when I discovered Hocus Pocus and the All-New Sequel! I have to say that I was super curious to see what would happen in this sequel, especially considering how the movie ended. Now that I’ve read the book, I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised with the story!

I managed to get a copy of this book when it first released, but I opted to wait until this month, (October), to read it because I thought it would make a great Halloween read. (It did.) Reading this book definitely put me in the Halloween spirit, and brought back so many memories of all the hundreds of times I’ve watched the movie, which never gets old.

There were a lot of things that I enjoyed about this book. I love that the story and characters were familiar, yet new as well. The first 100 or so pages of the story are a recap of the movie, and I love that this was included, because even though I have watched the movie a million times, it was fun to be able to read it as a story as well. I feel like I picked up on a few things that I never really noticed in the movie by doing this. The second half of the book is the new story, and the storyline was fun and interesting, and I loved the diverse group of characters we meet throughout the story. There is a little bit of cliffhanger at the end of the book, which makes me wonder if there will be yet another sequel in the future. I want to say so much more, but I don’t want to spoil anything for anyone would like to read the book, so I will just say that if you’re super curious after reading my thoughts, do check out the book!

Overall; Hocus Pocus and the All-New Sequel was a really fun read, and I’m glad I had the opportunity to finally check it out! I hear there maybe be a movie sequel in the future, and I am super curious to know if the movie will follow this book. If so, I will most definitely watch it! Fans of the original Hocus Pocus movie, do check out this sequel, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

My Thoughts: #MurderTrending by Gretchen McNeil

#MurderTrending
by Gretchen McNeil
Website | Twitter | Instagram

Publication Date: August 7th 2018
Publisher: Freeform Books
Pages: 352
ISBN: 9781368010023
Genre: Young Adult | Mystery | Thriller
Source: Review Copy

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WELCOME TO THE NEAR FUTURE, where good and honest 8/18 citizens can enjoy watching the executions of society’s most infamous convicted felons, streaming live on The Postman app from the suburbanized prison island Alcatraz 2.0.

When eighteen-year-old Dee Guerrera wakes up in a haze, lying on the ground of a dimly lit warehouse, she realizes she’s about to be the next victim of the app. Knowing hardened criminals are getting a taste of their own medicine in this place is one thing, but Dee refuses to roll over and die for a heinous crime she didn’t commit. Can Dee and her newly formed posse, the Death Row Breakfast Club, prove she’s innocent before she ends up wrongfully murdered for the world to see? Or will The Postman’s cast of executioners kill them off one by one? (Goodreads)

When I first discovered #MurderTrending by Gretchen McNeil, I was intrigued! To be honest, I’m kind of a big chicken when it comes to scary stories, and because of that, I was a little weary about starting this book. But, I was more curious than I was weary, so I decided to check it out anyways, and I’m SO glad I did!!

Let me first say that #MurderTrending has a very interesting storyline. Imagine a twisted reality tv show where you can watch the executions of convicted felons live on a streaming app from a prison island called Alcatraz 2.0. That’s not exactly something I would be into in real life, but it did make for an addictive read! I also liked that while this was obviously fiction, it included SO MUCH that’s relatable to the world today, like the reality star president and government that seemed too similar to our current government. I have to say, it would be awesome if the last chapter of the book would happen in real life. *grin* Just sayin’.

#MurderTrending is full of interesting characters as well, including the main character, Dee, who finds herself right in the middle of Alcatraz 2.0 after being wrongly convicted of a crime that she didn’t commit. Dee has a really interesting backstory, one that is actually quite terrifying, and I can’t even imagine being in her shoes in this story. The things this girls has gone through in the past, and then goes through on the island, are pretty insane. But at least she has the help of some other fascinating characters on the island, while trying not to get killed by some terrifying psychos in the process.

Overall; If you like a good thriller story, #MurderTrending may just be right up your alley! This book was definitely an addictive and quick read. I think it’s a standalone book, but the ending was definitely written in a way were the could totally be a sequel, so I'm curious to know if there’s going to be a second book in the future. If so, I will totally check it out! Fans of Gretchen McNeil, or fans of thrillers in general, do add #MurderTrending to your TBR now!

Waiting on Wednesday #325 - #MurderTrending & City of Ghosts

#MurderTrending
by Gretchen McNeil
Website | Twitter | Instagram

Publication Date: August 7th 2018
Publisher: Freeform
ISBN: 9781368010023

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Available for Pre-Order:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

WELCOME TO THE NEAR FUTURE, where good and honest 8/18 citizens can enjoy watching the executions of society’s most infamous convicted felons, streaming live on The Postman app from the suburbanized prison island Alcatraz 2.0.

When eighteen-year-old Dee Guerrera wakes up in a haze, lying on the ground of a dimly lit warehouse, she realizes she’s about to be the next victim of the app. Knowing hardened criminals are getting a taste of their own medicine in this place is one thing, but Dee refuses to roll over and die for a heinous crime she didn’t commit. Can Dee and her newly formed posse, the Death Row Breakfast Club, prove she’s innocent before she ends up wrongfully murdered for the world to see? Or will The Postman’s cast of executioners kill them off one by one? (Goodreads)

Does this book sound interesting, or what??
It's been too long since I read a book by Gretchen McNeil,

and I really can't wait to check it out!

City of Ghosts
(Cassidy Blake #1)
by Victoria Schwab
Website | Twitter | Instagram

Publication Date: August 28th 2018
Publisher: Scholastic
ISBN: 9781338111033

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Cassidy Blake's parents are The Inspectres, a (somewhat inept) ghost-hunting team. But Cass herself can REALLY see ghosts. In fact, her best friend, Jacob, just happens to be one.

When The Inspectres head to ultra-haunted Edinburgh, Scotland, for their new TV show, Cass—and Jacob—come along. In Scotland, Cass is surrounded by ghosts, not all of them friendly. Then she meets Lara, a girl who can also see the dead. But Lara tells Cassidy that as an In-betweener, their job is to send ghosts permanently beyond the Veil. Cass isn't sure about her new mission, but she does know the sinister Red Raven haunting the city doesn't belong in her world. Cassidy's powers will draw her into an epic fight that stretches through the worlds of the living and the dead, in order to save herself. (Goodreads)

Is anyone else SOOOO excited for this new book by Victoria Schwab??
*raises both hands*
This is yet another book that I can't wait to get my hands on,

and I'm super curious to finally check it out!!


What exciting new books are YOU waiting for this week??

**"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine,
that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.**

My Thoughts: Follow Me by Sara Shepard

Follow Me
(The Amateurs #2)
by Sara Shepard
Website | Twitter | Facebook

Publication Date: November 7th 2017
Publisher: Freeform Books
Pages: 272
ISBN: 9781484742280
Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary | Mystery
Source: Review Copy

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It was the perfect night for a party.

That is, until twenty-one-year-old Chelsea Dawson disappeared. The social media star was last seen enjoying a beautiful summer night at the Jersey Shore with her friends. But after an explosive fight with her ex-boyfriend, she vanished without a trace.

When Seneca, Maddox, Aerin, and Madison hear about the suspected kidnapping, they notice a jarring detail about the victim: she looks exactly like Aerin’s sister, Helena, who was killed five years earlier. Seneca is convinced she knows who killed Helena, and she can’t shake the feeling that the same person has taken Chelsea.

Desperate for answers about the two girls, and the truth behind her mother’s murder, Seneca will stop at nothing to find out if the cases are linked. So when Maddox receives an invitation to the Shore from none other than their primary suspect, the Amateurs begin an intense new investigation.

Full of disturbing secrets, startling twists, and horrifying revelations, the second book in #1 New York Times best-selling author Sara Shepard’s The Amateurs series follows the team down a twisted path—one crafted by a brilliant killer. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts...
Follow Me is the second book in The Amateurs series by Sara Shepard, and I’m super excited to have had the opportunity to have read this sequel! I read the first book last year, and, being a somewhat newbie to Sara’s writing style, I found myself completely captivated by the story. I was really looking forward to seeing what was going to happen next in this much anticipated sequel, and it was definitely worth the wait!

The book picks up a few months after where The Amateurs leaves off. A new girl has gone missing, and Seneca, Maddox, Aerin, and Madison are brought together once again by a mysterious friend from the past, to try to figure out what happened exactly to the missing girl, and who, in fact, kidnapped her in the first place. I have to say that these characters are pretty awesome detectives, definitely better than I am!

As I mentioned above I’m pretty new to Sara Shepards writing, (I believe this is only the third book I read of hers), but I really appreciate how she grabbed my attention early on in the novel, and left me curious enough to finish the book fairly quickly. (This is not an easy feat for me lately, so I definitely appreciate something that can grab my attention.)  And this book is under 300 pages, so it's definitely a quick read. The book ends with a pretty massive cliffhanger, and it’s one that will stick with me until the next book is released and where we will (hopefully) get details. I can’t wait to see what’s going to happen next.

Overall; Follow Me is a quick, mysterious read that will keep you guessing and have you flying through the pages. If you’re a fan of Sara Shepard and have not yet check out The Amateurs series, think about adding it to your TBR today!