YA Book Pick - The Cursed Child

The second Monday of every month (or this month Tuesday) we feature a review of a published YA book.  The purpose of this feature is to spotlight books of interest to aspiring writers as well as promote some of our favorite books and authors.

This month, I've chosen something from the Harry Potter world since J.K. Rowling as influenced some many writers.

Highlights:

The book (or written script) was filled with nostalgic scenes, interesting premises, and promising new characters.  For me, the biggest enjoyment was the emotional pull towards the end of the play.  I cried and cried and really enjoyed the message which is full of hope.  So even though the script in book form may have had some holes that left me less than satisfied, the emotional impact and new twist was enough to make me enjoy the story.

Notes for writers:  Be aware of your target audience when writing a series or spin off series.  Fans will already have expectations on how the story should go.  Also avoid too much nostalgia - fans can always read the original story.  Finally, keep note of your pacing.  The pacing in this story was too fast.

Good read for: Harry Potter fans, those into fantasy, and tweens.