Reading Now: Hocus Pocus and The All-New Sequel

After a much needed outing with the girls I stumbled across this beauty!

Hocus Pocus and The All-New Sequel 

I almost missed it but I swear I can spot these witches from a mile away.

I had no intention of buying myself a book(trying to save money and check books out from the library) but I just couldn't leave without this.

I haven't read a single page but I was just too excited to share with you all.

A little overview found on Barnes and Nobles website:

"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 vile scheme."

Stay tuned to see what I think of this new read...but truth be told I can't help but love it just because its Hocus Pocus ;)

xoxo

Jocelyn

Reading Now: The Silent Sister

I just finished The Silent Sister by Diane Chamberlain and

all I can say is wow just wow!

A little overview found on Barnes and Nobles website:

"Riley MacPherson has spent her entire life believing that her older sister Lisa committed suicide as a teenager. It was a belief that helped shape her own childhood and that of her brother. It shaped her view of her family and their dynamics. It influenced her entire life. Now, more than twenty years later, her father has passed away and she's in New Bern, North Carolina, cleaning out his house when she finds evidence that what she has always believed is not the truth. Lisa is alive. Alive and living under a new identity. But why, exactly, was she on the run all those years ago? What secrets are being kept now, and what will happen if those secrets are revealed? As Riley works to uncover the truth, her discoveries will put into question everything she thought she knew about her family. Riley must decide what the past means for her present, and what she will do with her newfound reality. Told with Diane Chamberlain's powerful prose and illumination into the human heart and soul, The Silent Sister is an evocative novel of love, loss, and the bonds among siblings."

I bought this book on Wednesday afternoon and started it that night and finished it last night. I loved it! From the second I started reading I was captivated. Was it the style of writing or just a really good interesting story...either way it was sooo good! It is a mystery and just keeps you wanting/needing to know more! 

I would absolutely recommend this book to a friend!

FYI: This book is $10.10 on B&N website right now!

Have you read this book?! Did you love it or hate it?

I can't wait to get another one Diane's books!

Recommendations on a new book to read leave in comments below!

xoxo

Jocelyn

Reading Now: The Woman in Cabin 10

I just finished reading The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware!

If you haven't read this little gem than I share with you a quick little overview of the book from Barnes and Nobles website:

"In this tightly wound, enthralling story reminiscent of Agatha Christie’s works, Lo Blacklock, a journalist who writes for a travel magazine, has just been given the assignment of a lifetime: a week on a luxury cruise with only a handful of cabins. The sky is clear, the waters calm, and the veneered, select guests jovial as the exclusive cruise ship, the Aurora, begins her voyage in the picturesque North Sea. At first, Lo’s stay is nothing but pleasant: the cabins are plush, the dinner parties are sparkling, and the guests are elegant. But as the week wears on, frigid winds whip the deck, gray skies fall, and Lo witnesses what she can only describe as a dark and terrifying nightmare: a woman being thrown overboard. The problem? All passengers remain accounted for—and so, the ship sails on as if nothing has happened, despite Lo’s desperate attempts to convey that something (or someone) has gone terribly, terribly wrong…"

As a family we love reading books as you can probably tell from my past posts. Normally I am reading books of the kid variety but lately I have made the time to read "mommy books". It has been the best way to spend my very little amount of "me time". 

I bought this book back in February and just finished. Which screams volumes on how much I actually liked this book! When I truly love a book I finish it within a couple of days not weeks! 

This book was definitely interesting but it was rather slow for my liking.

I struggled to read it because it was so slow in the beginning. I didn't start really getting into the book until after Chapter 9 and then I couldn't put it down!

With that being said, Would I recommend this book to a friend? Yes, I would because it was definitely a page turner towards the end and I couldn't believe the way the story panned out!

FYI: The book is currently $10.31 on B&N website!!

Have you read this book?!?! Did you like it???

Now I am off to search for a new book!!

xoxo

Jocelyn

first grade reads

The new school year is quickly approaching and its going to be a big year for us! 

Cailee is starting a brand new school this year! 

She will be the entering the first grade and is extremely excited!

And also a little nervous, understandably so.

What we have always done with our kids is use stories to help them better understand what is currently going on. Whether its holidays or school related, books are the go to in our home! 

So of course with the start of this month these books will be front and center on Cailee's bookshelf! 

left | middle | right

left | right

The best part of this year is that Cailee will be reading these books to us! 

I seriously hope that her love for books will continue to grow! 

xoxo

Jocelyn

reading now: harry potter

In my last post I mentioned that a goal of mine for the new year was to read the entire Harry Potter series. I know what you must be thinking, "girlfriend you are about 19 years late to the party".  I have seen the first movie and thought it was great but never saw any of the other films and came nowhere near close to reading the books. 
So what brought on this new found interest in HP? Well, after seeing advertisements for the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter set to open this April at Universal Studios Hollywood, I couldn't help but get caught up in the excitement. 
After jumping on board the Harry Potter fan bandwagon I decided I better read all the books before I binge watch all the movies.
AND...you better believe I am already planning on making my way to the park this summer! 
I bought my first Harry Potter book this weekend and sadly, am having the hardest time getting into it! I blame it on the fact that I saw the movie before reading the book so I am comparing every single detail.
Wish me luck! I am determined to read all these books before April! 
Any Harry Potter fans out there? If so, I am curious what house do you think you would be in? I am most certain I would be in Hufflepuff. Even though I really want to be in Gryffindor!  Yep never thought I'd ever be saying such a thing but oh well ;)
Happy Monday!
xoxo Jocelyn