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Hocus Pocus and the All-New Sequel
Hocus Pocus and the All-New Sequel
A.W. Jantha | 2018 | Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
8
6.8 (6 Ratings)
Book Rating
Combined 2 stories in one.. the original and what happened 25 years later (0 more)
Part 2 dragged a little (0 more)
From a fan of Hocus Pocus movie … I loved this book!!!
Part 1 was just like the movie and well as I was reading, the movie played in my head … Who doesn't love a witch story during the month of October with Halloween around the corner?
There was one difference in that a 4th sister is introduced .. Elizabeth, who is written as the good sister!!!
Part 2 dragged a little but was an exciting twist on a continuation of the Sanderson Sisters and All Hallows Eve. It takes you to present time and introduces us to old characters from the first and original story line but adds new characters like Max's and Allison's daughter Poppy. It also added things relative to now such as the lingo and a lesbian crush.
This definitely was a great story line of finding a blood moonstone which is needed for a spell for eternal life. And the spell book makes an entrance in style with one of the characters being a descendant of a witch!!
The writing style was an easy read, characters were current and relatable to now from the technology to the way they talk and act.
Fanfiction is what I felt like I was reading and I liked that about this book!!!! A fun filled, magical read for Hocus Pocus lovers and readers who just want a fun entertaining book for Halloween and not blood and gore!!!
Was fun to enter the world of the Sanderson sisters once again!!!!
  
Winter Trials
Winter Trials
K.S. Marsden | 2018 | LGBTQ+, Young Adult (YA)
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This review can also be found on my blog - www.diaryofdifference.com

A winter tale about two men finding themselves and each other. A short beginning of what I believe will be a long-lasting relationship, in a book filled with warmth, bravery and magic.
I was lucky enough to be approached by the author – K.S. Marsden, and I was excited to read both her books from the Northern Witch Series.

Winter Trials is the first instalment, and it is a perfect short introduction to the environment and the character. The story is about Mark, a 16-year-old boy, who decides to start practising magic, just like his grandmother.

And when a new guy comes in school, Mark is instantly attracted to him. But Mark’s magic, and Damien’s troublesome past will suddenly find each other, and a huge danger is near…

I really enjoyed reading this book, and it was a shame that it was so short. I loved Mark’s character and especially cheered for the grandma witch – she was the star of the show, with her sassy comments!

There wasn’t too much in-depth character features, and character development, but I would assume this is an introduction to a world that is to come.
Mark is a typical high-school teenager, with normal things hanging around his head, and some of the thoughts and discussions were refreshing, rather than when you read some usual cliches in other books.

I loved the bonfire night gathering, and the magic scenes were breathtaking.

The love story between Mark and Demian developed a bit too fast, and that is my only little disappointment, but apart from that – I enjoyed reading it, and can’t wait to dive into book two.

If you love LGBT romance, YA and a bit of magic and witches – grab this book, and read this series!

Thank you to the author, for sending me a hard copy of this book. All the opinions stated in this review are entirely my own.
  
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
2018 | Fantasy, Horror
Sabrina got DARK
Sabrina the Teenage Witch was a favourite of mine when I was a tween. I would spend hours on the couch giggling to myself, mostly at the awful anamatronic black cat named Salem.
So when it was announced there would be a reboot my childhood self came marching back, but what I watched wasn't at all the image of the fun,light-hearted, Melissa Joan Hart series I had come to love, NO, it was much, much darker.
Based on the exact same characters but with a much darker sinister plot. However it was enjoyable, with myself being a horror fanatic I felt it was a breath of fresh air, a more older teen/adult version.
Series 1 did seem to play out and I found it difficult to get into it, but with perseverance I made it to the end.

Definately a watch for us 80's/90's babies, but beware, its not quite the walk down memory lane.
  
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Merissa (11731 KP) rated The Cursed King (Inferno Rising #4) in Books

Nov 2, 2021 (Updated Jul 10, 2023)  
The Cursed King (Inferno Rising #4)
The Cursed King (Inferno Rising #4)
Abigail Owen | 2021 | Paranormal, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
THE CURSED KING is the fourth, and final, book in the Inferno Rising series. It is Angelika's turn now, the last sister unmated. Only, it turns out, she actually wanted to mate with someone - Airk - and he turned her down. Now, Pytheios wants her, so what will Airk do?

Angelika has always viewed herself as the weakest link as she didn't inherit any of her mother's powers. Airk is unable to shift due to his captivity for five hundred years. Angelika has a way of calming his dragon down and also exciting him, so Airk vows to stay away. Of course, we all know how that works out!

This was an epic conclusion to a great story. I was half expecting what happened, as I didn't think it likely our author would leave Angelika hanging. It is fast-paced and intricate, with the other mated pairs playing their parts. You do see less of Pytheios this time, together with his witch, and his phoenix. The witch I eventually felt sorry for; the phoenix, not so much!

I would love to return to these dragon clans in the future but, rest assured, no matter what Ms Owens writes, I'll be right there reading it. Absolutely recommended.

** same worded review will appear elsewhere **

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Nov 2, 2021
  
Magic Born (The Guardian #2)
Magic Born (The Guardian #2)
Rayanne Haines | 2018 | Paranormal, Romance
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
57 of 250
Kindle
Magic Born ( The Guardians book 2)
By Rayanne Haines

Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments

Maria Del Voscova is a powerful witch with a past. When she’s asked to become a member of the elite Guardians she knows she can’t risk sharing the truth about her messed-up family. But we don’t always get what we want. Sometimes, we don’t always know what we want.

Though Mar absolutely knows she doesn’t want Neeren, King of the Parthen. She alone sees the darkness in him and it reminds her too much of the past. She knows better than to fall for his stoic, tortured soul façade.

She’s training to be a Guardian, a shadow; tasked with keeping the balance between good and evil in the world. It’s what she wants—to be better than her family was.

But the past has a way of catching up to Mar and the future has a morbid sense of humor. On her first mission, she’s kidnapped by the enemy she’s been running from her entire life. Thankfully the guardians look after their own. As it turns out, so does Neeren.

As Mar finds herself caught between the past and the future; between blood and bond; between the light and the dark, she realizes her only chance at surviving may be in trusting a man who is the most dangerous of them all.


This was so much better than the first book! I love Nareen and Maria’s story. Poor Maria I think everything the author could possibly think of was thrown at this witch and she still fought through Everything. Although I did like the 1st book this one just had more fight to it. I’m looking forward to reading about Quinn and her part to play in all this.
  
Pawsitively Poisonous: A Witch of Edgehill Mystery #1
Pawsitively Poisonous: A Witch of Edgehill Mystery #1
Melissa Erin Jackson | 2019 | Mystery, Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
For Fans of of cozy mysteries with a paranormal twist, this one is definitely for you!
I had actually read the 2nd book in the series first for review and enjoyed it so much that Melissa sent this one to me also.

The cover alone would have been an instant buy for me, the silhouetted witch against the bright green is so eye catching it literally screams out to you pick me up and read me (You know you want too)!

With Melissa being a professional pet sitter you just know that this would have a nod to pets, and she certainly did not disappoint. Edgehill is a small quirky town whose identity revolves around cats. With everything from the business names to the town fair having a cat related theme and name.

The characters are spot on and you cant help but fall in love with the main Protagonist Amber Blackwood and yes, she is a witch, from a long line of witches who keep their identity secret, for good reason!

Being a cozy mystery you are dragged into a plot line that keeps you on the edge of your seat and has you invested in the characters right through to the end. This leaves you wanting more and I can guarantee that you will move straight on to the second book in the series as you are left with so many unaswered questions about Amber and her family.

So if you are looking for a quick, quirky, fun read you should definitely go and grab yourself a copy!

Melissa sent me my copy of Pawsitively Poisonous for free in exchange for an honest review
  
The Lighthouse (2019)
The Lighthouse (2019)
2019 | Drama, Horror
What the eff was that?
MINOR SPOILERS ONLY!!!!

I am trying to recall a time recently I left the theatre (I also don't go much any more) as bewildered as I did after watching The Lighthouse? My thought of comparing to Mother! would probably be the most appropriate. There is a lot of symbolism which I didn't really get right away or even events and characters which could be interpreted in different ways or having different points of view. I am sure I continue to digest the film over the next few days and remember details I cannot recall or am able to discuss here.

The film had such a unique look not only being black and white (although the white in the theatre I watched it in was more of a subtle yellow color)but also the aspect ratio was only 1.19:1 while most modern films are around 1:85:1 meaning this movie appeared as an almost perfect square. Much of the film was also dark, scratchy or whitewashed making it really appear as if you were watching a silent film or early "talkie".

Like writer/director Robert Eggers' freshman film and my recent 1st time watch, The Witch, I did find some of the dialect hard to follow at times (for The Witch, I actually turned the subtitles on). This is not a criticism, I was just concerned while watching I was going to miss some important plot point and since I was at the theatre, I couldn't stop and rewind it.

I can't say too much about the plot or even what the symbolism might be; however, I would love to discuss with anyone after viewing so let me know what you think as well.

Really loved it!

  
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Erika (17788 KP) Nov 4, 2019

I'm glad you like it! The mythological reference were so abundant, my little nerd heart loved it! Especially the fate of Pattinson's character....

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Andy K (10821 KP) Nov 4, 2019

I couldn't believe he was dead the whole time and didn't know it!

The Witches (2020)
The Witches (2020)
2020 | Adventure, Comedy, Family
Well, here we are... I'm not really sure I remember the original, but I suspect that's a bit of a blessing.

When a young boy encounters a strange and frightening woman his grandmother tells him about the existence of witches. In an attempt to hide from the woman, they take a trip that accidentally drops them in the middle of a witch convention led by the Grand High Witch.

At 1 hour 46 the witches feels like a short film to watch, but on reflection that runtime seems incredibly long for what was actually presented. The opening feels long, while somehow empty. There's obviously a need to get the backstory out, but I'm not sure I enjoyed the Chris Rock voiceover combined with the condensed story from Grandma.

I don't think there's a whole lot to grumble about with the storyline, witches exist, they hate children, plan to obliterate them all... blah blah blah. While I'm not entirely convinced there's a place for some of Roald Dahl's stories these days, but this sort of kids in peril and magic plots are fairly easy ones to get along with.

I love seeing Octavia Spencer in things, though I refuse to accept her as a grandmother. There were some moments with her that I really enjoyed, but there were quite a few scenes where the reactions didn't feel right for the situation. This wasn't something isolated to Spencer's performance, a combination of odd script and strangely edited transitions and effects left me with a lot of moments to pause.

Jahzir Bruno as Hero Boy was very good once the setting moved to the hotel, and I loved his reactions to hearing his gran explaining how to identify a witch.

Let's talk about the Grand High Witch shall we? Anne Hathaway definitely felt like the only one who was all in on their performance... and that's maybe the only positive thing I have to say about it. It was so incredibly difficult to understand what was being said half of the time, you can take an educated guess, but that doesn't really help when you're watching a film.

While all the witches have effects on them it's mainly Hathaway that had the screen time with it. As a scary creation it's pretty good, the mouth and teeth give a very sinister vibe... but at times I felt like it was overused. There were times when the effects really shone. The Grand High Witch's features looked spookily realistic, and here movements flowed seamlessly. But then you got the throwing of objects, and the animals, and it falls apart. The cat in particular reminded me of early, dubious, Harry Potter effects. (And that's not the only Harry Potter element I felt, there are strong Dudley vibes too.)

This reimagining of The Witches may have enough rodent action and face-pulling for the kids to get some enjoyment out of it, but this empty feeling film left me with little to remember apart from the negatives.

Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2021/03/the-witches-movie-review.html
  
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Kara Skinner (332 KP) rated Eternity in Books

Jun 12, 2019  
Eternity
Eternity
Maggie Shayne | 2013 | Fiction & Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
7
6.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Contains spoilers, click to show
300 years ago, Raven St. James was hanged for witchcraft. But she revives among the dead to find herself alive. She is an Immortal High Witch, one of the light. A note from her mother warns that there are others, those of the Dark, who preserve their own lives by taking the hearts of those like her.

Duncan Wallace’s forbidden love for the secretive lass costs him his life.

300 years later, he loves her again, tormented by hazy memories of a past that can’t be real. She tells him of another lifetime, claims to be immortal. Though he knows she’s deluded, he can’t stay away. And the Dark Witch after her heart is far closer than either of them know.

After reading and loving the Once Upon a Time boxed set by Maggie Shayne, I was super excited to find her book Eternity free on Smashwords. But while I liked it a lot, I didn’t like it as much as Once Upon a Time. Perhaps my expectations were too high.

Raven and her sister Arianna are both good characters. I like Raven’s spirit and loyalty a lot, as well as Arianna’s sass. Duncan is pretty fine himself. His devotion to Raven is incredibly sexy and I’ve always enjoyed a good Scottish brogue myself. In one scene, she heals him from a fever while trying to keep her identity a secret from him. That is a very delicious scene and it’s one of the first real tastes of magic we see. Gotta love that scene, as well as reading about Duncan trying to protect Raven in the Americas.

But the initial meeting was a little lacking. Sure, it’s pretty powerful, having Duncan speak up on Raven’s behalf and then quit the Catholic church for her. I love the compassion he shows there, despite Raven telling him to stop before he’s hanged himself.

But they’re practically in love within two minutes of meeting each other. Sure, that would be fine if Raven, unaware of her immense power, accidentally put a spell on him. But she didn’t. There’s no real explanation for their insta-love. The most we get is their souls recognized each other. Yippee.

The insta-love wasn’t necessary, either. A young, idealistic man can be sickened by an execution without being in love with her. There was plenty of time to introduce more romantic feelings later.

Duncan and Raven in the Americas are excellent together, though. I wish we had seen more of them in the seventeenth century. Because Duncan in the twentieth is bland.

There’s no better word for it, really. He’s bland. Modern-day Duncan is easily confused and manipulated and even after he gets memories from his past life, he still doesn’t believe Raven when she tells him of their past. It takes him forever to realize Raven’s not mentally unbalanced and actually knows what she’s talking about.

There is a second book with Raven’s sister, Arianna. Even though I was a little disappointed in this book, I still might buy Infinity. After all, this wasn’t even close to being a bad book. It’s certainly well-written and entertaining. Now that my expectations for Maggie Shayne’s work has gotten a reality check– honestly, any book she wrote would have been a letdown after the two amazing love stories in Once Upon a Time.
  
Collateral Damage
Collateral Damage
Jessica Wayne | 2020 | Paranormal, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
79 of 200
Kindle
Collateral Damage (Tethered book 2)
By Jessica Wayne

 
Paislee Adams possessed what one man craved: power. After being held captive for fifteen years, she manages to escape and spends the next year of her life pursuing the one who destroyed her. A gunshot heard one night in an alley changes everything, when she comes face to face with Timothy McGinley, a man harboring his own secrets. Ever since a spell left him frozen in time nearly two centuries ago, Timothy has harbored a hatred for all things magic. But when a witch saves his life, he is forced to confront his own mortality for the first time in two hundred years.A man trapped in time.A powerful witch on the run.A dangerous enemy on the hunt.As these two unlikely allies join forces, they have to put aside old grudges in order to stop a man harboring a deadly obsession with them both.



So I was in between 3 and 4 stars for this as I really did enjoy it ! There was a bit more bye to this book than Tethered. Both Timothy and paislee had a bit more character but it was also nice to go back to Aengus and Abby too. A few small inconsistencies but nothing to ruing the book and a lovely nod to Meg Anne who I absolutely love! Another magical romance and if you like romance you will enjoy this!!