I was excited and nervous about this one because I love Hocus Pocus. It was great! The story feels a lot like the movie. I like that it picks up the story 25 years later and includes the original characters. The characters are relatable teenagers, and the female characters are strong and brave. It's a well-done sequel.

Halloween is probably my favorite holiday, I love being about to dress up and act a fool and then there is all the sugar that people give you for FREE (at least when you are a kid, now I have to buy it for the kids... and myself). With all this wonderful fun, there are Halloween movies and traditions that I keep up. So every year I watch Hocus Pocus about 15 times before Halloween, I own it and actually watch it all year - so much that my husband quotes it sometimes and he is not as big a fan as I am.

When I saw this book in an Instagram post, I jumped over to Netgalley to request it and YAY, request granted. The book is really two in one. The first third is actually a retelling of the original movie/story. It is pretty much the same as the movie, so if you want to read it - it is just as fun and funny, but if you want to move right into the new stuff you can do that too without missing much.

The Sequel is about Poppy, who is the daughter of Max and Allison. She has grown up knowing the story of the Sanderson sisters coming back on Halloween and almost killing her Aunt Dani and she has always put up with it. This Halloween though, it has been 25 years and her parents are throwing a party but to impress a girl she likes Poppy decides to bring her to the Sanderson house... sound familiar? It is kind of the same set up as before but it works.

In this book, we learn about another Sanderson sister, and even get more depth from the previous story, but with an all new adventure, because the sisters have found their way back into the moral world and are still out to take it over.

The sequel was good, I think that if you are lover of the original it is a great way to relive it in a new way. I loved seeing the Sanderson sisters again and the characters in this book were fun as well and you get to see old faves too (BINX!). It may not be the best book as a stand alone, but it gave me everything I was looking for. New old meets new...and possibly another story?... yea, how's that for a cliffhanger?! (I die!)

No. Just no. The first third of the book is basically just rehashing the entire movie and then we move into the present and everything is just NO. I understand where the book was coming from and what it’s trying to do, but you’re messing with a classic and not in a good way. Another sister? No. Stop trying to make Fetch happen.

So so good! Love revisiting the Sanderson sisters. Definitely a fun, must read. The Sanderson sisters are some of my all time favorite characters so I was super excited to read this story, and it did not disappoint.

I was very excited to receive this ARC from NetGalley. I wasn't sure what to expect with this book. The first part is a novelization of the original 1993 movie and follows it extremely closely so even if you haven't watched the movie you will understand the sequel. I like the idea of bundling the movie novelization with a sequel in the same book. It is nice to see the familiar characters come back and be introduced to new characters. I appreciated the diversity in this book and have been impressed the last two years with the effort Disney Books seems to be making to include both racial and LGBT characters. The writing seemed a little simpler than YA so I feel it is more of a high middle grade level read, which fits in with the PG rating of the movie. The sequel was a bit too much like the original in pattern and some of the character behaviors got slightly annoying but if you were a fan of the movie and go in to this expecting a similar vibe it is a quick, entertaining read. I did not find it spooky or scary although the sequel is a little darker than the original.

I loved the first 40% which was basically the Hocus Pocus movie word for word. It brought back so many memories for me since this was a movie I grew up watching and still watch every fall. However, the sequel really fell short in my opinion and I would have rather read the first 40% by itself rather than this retelling. The characters were difficult to connect with and the story just didn't evoke the same emotions that Hocus Pocus does.

I am a huge fan of the movie and was very excited that Hocus Pocus and The All-New Sequel was being released. The book is told in two parts. The first part being the same as the movie, including well-known and loved lines. The second part is told 25 years later. It includes new characters as well as old favorites. If you are a fan of the movie, witches, or just Halloween in general, I suggest you give this book a chance.

This was pretty fun. The first part of the book is basically the movie retold with a few minor changes to set up for the sequel.
The sequel is set in modern day Salem, and focuses on Alison and Max's daughter Poppy. She and her friends make some poor choices and once again have to save Salem from the Sandersons.
There were a few annoying things about the sequel but overall it was fun to revisit the city and see how everyone turned out. If you are a fan of the movie this is pretty cool.

I was thrilled to learn there was a book version of Hocus Pocus coming out and even more excited about a sequel. As for the first part of the book, if you've seen the film there are no huge surprises here, but it's tons of fun all the same.
The sequel was equally as enjoyable, introducing some great new characters and providing an entertaining plot. I'd absolutely recommend the books to fans of the original movie and those who love fun and festive Halloween stories.

I gave this book a 3 out of 5 stars. The first half of this book is the "first book" Hocus Pocus. It is the exact same as the movie. The second half of the book is the "second book" the all new sequel. It was a good sequel. It was another of those books that you kinda expect what is gonna happen. Max and Allison get married and have a daughter named Poppy. 25 years after the movie takes place, as expected, Poppy and her friends bring the Sanderson sisters back to life. I'm sure you can expect how the end of the book goes to be honest. But I am hoping that they make it into a movie cause it would be good to have another movie of this. There is a love story in the sequel which isn't necessary at all. I just wanna say that. Also most of the characters in the original movie show up in this sequel which is nice to get to see them again.

They're baa-aack! You've heard of Christmas in July, well get ready for Halloween in July! Two books in one - the first half is a spot on novelization of the movie and then the second half is a brand new sequel taking place in present day with ALL the returning players from the movie as well as new characters in Poppy (Max and Allison Dennison's 17 year old daughter!), her friends from school, and a whole slew of new witches! We also find out what Ernie ("Ice") and Jay have been up to - both with surprising careers! I will admit that it did take a while for me to get into the sequel, but I eventually got there and I was hooked. Also there were certain "formulas" per se taken from the movie that were worked into the sequel that made it more on the predictable side, but this was still pure nostalgia for me nonetheless! Also..the sequel isn't the end! There's more to the story! Woot!

I received this ARC from Netgalley and Freeform in exchange for a fair and honest review.

When I heard there was a Hocus Pocus sequel coming out, I knew I had to get my hands on it! The first part of the book is an adaptation of the original 1993 movie, which I almost skipped reading. The original story is 37% of the book and was scene for scene, word for word, the movie, BUT it gave me all this nostalgia and set the tone for the second part. So while the first part is certainly not necessary, it was definitely my favorite part of the book.

The second part tells the story and Max and Allison’s daughter, Poppy, and her own adventure with the Sanderson sisters on All Hallows’ Eve. The story pulled me in at first, but then it started to feel too busy. The were certain aspects of the story that could have been left out. For instance, twenty five years ago, the sisters’ main goal was to achieve youth and immortality. So their goal in this story didn’t line up with that for me.

The writing and story are definitely geared toward a younger audience. I enjoyed the nostalgia, and I definitely got the urge to pull out Hocus Pocus and rewatch, even though it is currently July! The over the top puns got on my nerves, and by the last 10%, I was skimming passages for the high points. If you are a fan of the original movie, I think you will enjoy it for what it is, but it is not a replacement for the original.

I was excited for this one because I love Hocus Pocus, but it just didn't work for me. The writing seemed to be aimed at a younger audience than the content. However, the bigger problem was that this book suffers from too much plot. I would have preferred a simple story of the witches' book tricking the next generation into bringing back the Sanderson sisters while regular kids try to stop them without extra witches on both sides, characters being sent to Hell, and a great deal of uninteresting side conflicts. It also lacked the fun of the original movie.
Perhaps a movie version (which I suspect might be coming on Disney Channel or Freeform closer to Halloween this year) would work better, but I still hope it would be streamlined. I did appreciate that there was a diverse group of kids as the heroes and that it had a lesbian love story for the leads, which I don't think has happened in a Disney movie yet. The cover and tagline are also great.

I grew up with this movie so I'm going to do my best to not let nostalgia play to big of a part in this review. I enjoyed taking it in, in a different format. It’s a classic, so you can’t go wrong with it. I’m not going to talk about the first half as it’s just the original movie and doesn’t feel I need to say anything other than it’s such a fun read!

Now part two, the sequel!! I was over the moon happy when I saw this and I was hoping there would be a connection between the two and there is. The main character we follow is the daughter of someone from the first film. She’s a good character but her two friends are my favorites in this story. I enjoyed how this sequel reflected the first movie. There were so many characters who played a part in this story. I don’t want to say too much about this book or the plots but there is an LGBTQ character, it ’s well written and doesn’t read as a movie script, it’s a book, book. There is a twist that made this story good. These characters are clear and full of wittiness. If you like the movie, you will at less find something in the sequel that will make you smile. But in the end, you have to remember that this is a young YA Halloween, cheesy fun read.

Does everyone know who the Sanderson sisters are? No? Okay, quick recap: they're three awful witch sisters from the 1993 Disney movie, Hocus Pocus. They had a particular taste for children and a spell that would let them live forever, until a teen named Max, his younger sister, Dani, and his crush, Allison, with the help of a talking cat named Binx. The movie starred Bette Midler, Kathy Najimi, and Sarah Jessica Parker as the Sanderson sisters, and went on to be a huge cult classic that still gets regular play throughout the year in my home. Late last year, news hit the media that the Sandersons were coming back for a sequel, and there was much rejoicing among Hocus Pocus fans. There was talk about a TV movie, either on Freeform or Disney Channel, with the working title Hocus Pocus 2: Rise of the Elderwitch, but that seems to have been squashed. However, just in time for the movie's 25th anniversary, Disney Books has a book hitting shelves: Hocus Pocus & The All-New Sequel.

Anyway. The anniversary volume has a novelization of the 1993 movie, which is a fun, light, slightly macabre Halloween story about a boy, 2 girls, and a cat against three witches. The All-New Sequel continues the main characters' story, 25 years later. Teen crushes Max and Allison have grown up and gotten married; they have a gay daughter, Poppy, who's crushing on school It Girl Isabella. Max teaches at his old high school, and Allison is a lawyer. Neither are fans of Halloween, and their Salem, Massachusetts neighborhood thinks they're crazy, because they're super paranoid about witches - particularly the Sanderson history - and Halloween. (Why did they stay in Salem after the events of Hocus Pocus, especially if no one believes them?) Poppy, her best friend, Travis, and Isabella find themselves back at the Sanderson house, with Winifred Sanderson's spell book and a ouija board, and end up bringing the sisters back from Hell: by swapping Poppy's parents and Aunt Dani. They have until daybreak to locate the blood moonstone and reverse the spell, or the Sandersons will reign and Poppy's family is doomed.

Where the original is light and fun, the sequel is darker; it's more YA to the original's middle grade. I like the added diversity and LGBTQ vibe that runs through the sequel, and it certainly has its moments; the sisters are fun to read, especially Winifred (Bette Midler's character), who is as delightfully horrible as ever. It's missing a bit of the light-heartedness that made the original such fun to watch, but its darker feel makes the humorous moments more welcome. The ending will leave readers wondering if we're getting a third installment. It's an additional add for fans of the original movie, and readers who enjoy a good spooky quest.

Can I say how much I loved this novelization of Hocus Pocus and the sequel? I can't wait for this to be released so I can buy a copy. Now I want to go rewatch the movie for the hundredth time. Lol

First, I’m a fan of the original 1993 movie, so it was fun to revisit the Sanderson Sisters and their latest hijinks. The first part of the book is just a novelization of the first movie, so I won’t spend time discussing that here. The second part of the book is an official sequel.

(Light Spoilers Ahead)

This story is about the generation of children following those in the original movie. The former bully, is high school principle. Max Dennison now teaches high school history to his daughter Poppy and her friends Travis and Isabella. Now, Poppy has grown up with her parents, Max and Allison, along with her Aunt Dani’s retelling of their misadventures 25 years earlier. Poppy, like most teenagers would, thinks her family is a bit crazy for their beliefs in the Sanderson sisters and magic as a whole.

The plot, like the first movie, really begins when the trio of friends goes to the Sanderson Sister’s old house to use a Ouija board to summon the sisters. Well, the summoning works...sort of. Basically, the three friends summon the Anderson Sisters but end up sending Poppy’s parents and aunt to hell in their place. The three friends have until sunrise to break the spell or the spell becomes permanent.

(Critique)

1) I definitely think the book does a good job of updating the story and including modern references to society and technology. The Sanderson Sisters didn’t come in contact with cellphones back in 1993.

2) I was pretty surprised and gladdened that the primary romantic interest in this book is between Poppy and Isabella. The story is told from Poppy’s point of view, so it was nice to see a teenage romance naturally blossom between two young women. It’s good to see Disney taking some chances like this.

3) I’m not completely sure who this book is targeted at age wise. I think the writing is less sophisticated than other YA novels, and some of the dialogue comes off as canned and a bit cheesy.

4) I also think the plot is a bit predictive. Once you have the exposition, it follows the same basic plotting devices from the original. Witches come back, witches have a horrible goal, kids upset witches’ plan, and the hero gets the girl in the end. I wish there had been a few more twists and turns along the way.

Overall, I did find the book enjoyable. I think parents who know the original movie will enjoy sharing this book with their offspring.

This book was better than I was anticipating. Now, don't jump down my throat, it's just in my experience movie tie-ins with sequels no one ever expected tend to be a little lackluster. This exceeded my expectation.

Following the original story of Hocus Pocus was still entertaining even though I can recite the movie my heart. The sequel was quirky and campy with enough of a serious edge to keep it from being cloying. Do I think some of the plot points are a bit of a stretch? Sure. Was the the movie the same way? Absolutely.

Overall, this was a faithful adaptation with and enjoyable follow up.

What a fun read for any fans of Hocus Pocus! It is exactly what you hoped for. Max and Allison and married and what a daugther...will she experience the same sinister happenings? Read to find out!

I wanted to love this so much. It just fell terribly flat. The writing was very blah. Was the verbatim retelling of the movie necessary? Chances are you’ve seen the movie if you’re picking up this book.

Then the sequel. Overstuffed. Trying to reach the wit and charm of the successful movie but face planting instead. Not terrible by any means, but just lacking.

And what’s with the odd release date? Wouldn’t fall be a more appropriate time? Unless the sequel is going to be turned into a Disney Channel Original Movie in the fall. I kind of hope not.

I do absolutely love the cover and the “Witch please” tagline.