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A review by emily_gaynier
Hocus Pocus and the All-New Sequel by A. W. Jantha
4.0
*2022*
Honestly I just reread the original story.
Is it well written? No
But it's fun!
Longer review to come
But the original story is 5/5 stars and the sequel is 3/5 stars
*Full Review*
Okay so I loved the novelization of the movie. 5/5 stars! I liked seeing inside Max's head and how his thoughts made him less into a dumb boy from the 90's and more progressive and feminist. I also liked how a scene was added to address.
Now with the Sequel, I have some thoughts and opinions.
Overall I really enjoyed my time reading it. If I was just rating off of how much fun I had reading this book, I would've give the second half around 4 stars. But! There was some issues with the plot and characterization of well known and loved characters. Also this book already feels a little dated because there are so many references to modern trends and tech. Snapchat, Instagram, and Pinterest were talked about. And while I think those things won't go anywhere soon, they do take me out of the story a bit. I would've preferred Halloween decorations that would've made a witch proud instead of Pinterest-worthy Halloween decorations. These kinds of references always feel too try hard and really date the story. It's such an easy trap to fall into too and a good editor would've caught it.
That being said! This book really needed some more editing. Or just some help in general with the plot. In this book we are following Max and Allison's daughter on her own spoopy adventure. Max and Allison are both very obsessed with magic and the witches, while also being against specific Halloween stuff and really try to distance themselves from the Sandersons. I think Allison being a lawyer as an adult makes a lot of sense, she got the best grades and is super smart. But Max being a teacher doesn't feel like something that character would do. I do like how he wears a tie die tie every Halloween, but a bow tie also doesn't feel like Max. But with the level of how much they know about magic, I personally think that they should've reopened the Sanderson Museum. Even if it was part-time and volunteer work, this would've given them a great excuse to know about the blood moon and being weary about the spirit board.
The thing I probably enjoyed the most about this book was how many lame Halloween and Witch puns there were. Resting Witch Face and stuff like that. 100/10, would pun again.
Below is going to be about specific things I liked and disliked about this book.
Huge spoiler warning!
Click if you dare!
Mary also got a song and dance scene and that felt out of place. It might've been better in a movie, but I think it should've been left out. It didn't add to the story or make it fun. Honestly, I skipped it.
Also with the animal transformation, would Winnie need to know what a Boston Terrier is in order to turn someone into one or is it like a personality thing? Cause Binx got turned into a cat deliberately. And there was the remark saying Winnie chose a small dog because they are useless and not as troublesome as a cat. Again a Boston Terrier just felt out of place. Maybe a kitten would've been better or a bird or something more in the spirit of Halloween.
Also with the blood moonstone, this is something else that would've fit well with Max and Allison if they had reopened the Sanderson Museum. We got references to the fourth Sanderson in both the original story as a book and the sequel. But the blood moonstone was just brought up when it was needed. Poppy and her friends were told about it from Elizabeth Sanderson without any foreshadowing. It just felt like bad story telling.
A few last things
I loved the photo from Halloween 1994
A lot of these scenes read like movie scenes, which (witch, hehe) I enjoyed
The thing that spells out words on a spirit board is called a planchette, not a cursor
The romance was super cute
Honestly I just reread the original story.
Is it well written? No
But it's fun!
Longer review to come
But the original story is 5/5 stars and the sequel is 3/5 stars
*Full Review*
Okay so I loved the novelization of the movie. 5/5 stars! I liked seeing inside Max's head and how his thoughts made him less into a dumb boy from the 90's and more progressive and feminist. I also liked how a scene was added to address
Spoiler
how Max was objectifying Allison and Dani embarrassing themNow with the Sequel, I have some thoughts and opinions.
Overall I really enjoyed my time reading it. If I was just rating off of how much fun I had reading this book, I would've give the second half around 4 stars. But! There was some issues with the plot and characterization of well known and loved characters. Also this book already feels a little dated because there are so many references to modern trends and tech. Snapchat, Instagram, and Pinterest were talked about. And while I think those things won't go anywhere soon, they do take me out of the story a bit. I would've preferred Halloween decorations that would've made a witch proud instead of Pinterest-worthy Halloween decorations. These kinds of references always feel too try hard and really date the story. It's such an easy trap to fall into too and a good editor would've caught it.
That being said! This book really needed some more editing. Or just some help in general with the plot. In this book we are following Max and Allison's daughter on her own spoopy adventure. Max and Allison are both very obsessed with magic and the witches, while also being against specific Halloween stuff and really try to distance themselves from the Sandersons. I think Allison being a lawyer as an adult makes a lot of sense, she got the best grades and is super smart. But Max being a teacher doesn't feel like something that character would do. I do like how he wears a tie die tie every Halloween, but a bow tie also doesn't feel like Max. But with the level of how much they know about magic, I personally think that they should've reopened the Sanderson Museum. Even if it was part-time and volunteer work, this would've given them a great excuse to know about the blood moon and being weary about the spirit board.
Spoiler
Also I find Allison being against fake tombstones because of Billy is weirdThe thing I probably enjoyed the most about this book was how many lame Halloween and Witch puns there were. Resting Witch Face and stuff like that. 100/10, would pun again.
Below is going to be about specific things I liked and disliked about this book.
Huge spoiler warning!
Click if you dare!
Spoiler
I personally felt like this book was trying too hard and not hard enough. There were so many, almost painful, references to the first story that either should not have been in the book or should've leaned harder into the reference. Such as, the sequel has a Halloween party scene where Allison dresses up as Lady Gaga. Poppy has the same reaction to her and Dani had to her mom as Madanna. Not that Lady Gaga isn't relevant anymore, but I think that if Allison had dressed as Madanna in a different style, it would've fit the reference better. Max was dressed as the Hollywood sign (which I loved!). It was a perfect reference for his nickname from '93. Gaga just felt out of place.Mary also got a song and dance scene and that felt out of place. It might've been better in a movie, but I think it should've been left out. It didn't add to the story or make it fun. Honestly, I skipped it.
Also with the animal transformation, would Winnie need to know what a Boston Terrier is in order to turn someone into one or is it like a personality thing? Cause Binx got turned into a cat deliberately. And there was the remark saying Winnie chose a small dog because they are useless and not as troublesome as a cat. Again a Boston Terrier just felt out of place. Maybe a kitten would've been better or a bird or something more in the spirit of Halloween.
Also with the blood moonstone, this is something else that would've fit well with Max and Allison if they had reopened the Sanderson Museum. We got references to the fourth Sanderson in both the original story as a book and the sequel. But the blood moonstone was just brought up when it was needed. Poppy and her friends were told about it from Elizabeth Sanderson without any foreshadowing. It just felt like bad story telling.
A few last things
I loved the photo from Halloween 1994
A lot of these scenes read like movie scenes, which (witch, hehe) I enjoyed
The thing that spells out words on a spirit board is called a planchette, not a cursor
The romance was super cute