Most young adults can remember the effect the "Harry Potter" series had on either them, their classmates or the role it played in schools and in the media. These books were a game changer for both children and adults alike. They got kids to read and be excited about reading. Even though these books were technically labeled in the "young adult" genre, adults were enjoying them just as much. Growing up, "Harry Potter" was just about everything to me. I fell in love with the story, the characters and the movies that came along with the franchise. These stories were not only filled with fantasy and magic, but they also instilled some very important lessons about friendship, courage and love into the people who read them. Once I had finished all seven books, and parts one and two of the seventh movie had been released, it was sad knowing that there wouldn't be a new story to look forward to and the journey I had taken with these characters had come to an end. Yet, here we are again, nine years after the seventh book was published and five years since the last movie was released with a new film on the way and a new book and play available for purchase. If only I could tell my 13-year-old self what was in store.

There are two major events happening in the "Harry Potter" franchise that is worth noting. The first is the upcoming film entitled "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them." This movie is scheduled to release in November of this year and is J.K. Rowling's first go at screenwriting. Unfortunately, we won't see the famous trio known as Harry, Ron, and Hermione in this film as it is more of a spin-off of the "Harry Potter" universe and takes place before the gang's time at Hogwarts. There is a book written by Rowling with the same title that was published back in 2001, and was written to resemble the same textbook Harry and his classmates would have used in their classes at Hogwarts. This film tells the story of how that book came to be. It is one that I am looking forward to, as I am interested to see a different view of the wizarding world. Fans of the franchise are used to seeing Harry take on villains and dark magic, and hearing a lot of British accents, while this movie will encompass a whole new perspective on the magical world and the mythical creatures that live there. It also takes place in New York City. The trailer for "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" features stimulating creatures that will get you excited for the November release quickly approaching us.

The second item released by J.K. Rowling, along with writer Jack Thorne and director John Tiffany, is the production "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child." This is the one that I was really excited for. At the end of the seventh book, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," (spoiler alert) there is a short prologue, which fasts forwards nineteen years into the future. That prologue was added to give the readers some sort of closure after the story ended, as that is what most of them are intended for. However, this play continues that story from exactly where it was left off. The characters we think of as being teenagers are now much older with children of their own. The live action play took the stage in London, but Rowling, Thorne and Tiffany also released a "Special Rehearsal Edition" of the script the day after the play premiered for readers worldwide.

I had mixed feelings about what this book could mean. A huge part of me was ecstatic knowing that I would get to know more of the story and more from the characters. Another part of me was worried -- there is a negative connotation that comes along with sequels, prequels and spin-offs. Mainly because it is quite difficult to recreate or create something that was so great on its own. I feared that the same would happen with this book. However, I knew that I had to read it to find out. The problems I found were not huge, but slightly annoying at times. The first is that the "Harry Potter" books are known for being hundreds of pages long, filled with incredible detail. Unfortunately, since this was written as a script for a play, that is something I missed out on. While this isn't really anyone's fault, as that is how a play is supposed to be written, I wished to get the same amount of insight into the characters thoughts and feelings as I had with the first seven. The second is that I sometimes felt as if things were rushed between scenes and the characters didn't spend enough time on each conflict and resolution. Again, this is something that comes with the rhythm and length of a play and is just the way things are.

Overall, I was really happy with the new "Harry Potter" book. I will admit, I went into it excited and expecting it to be just like the books I had read before, and that's not what it is. So my advice to anyone reading it or thinking of reading it to keep that in mind. However, I am so very happy to have had a glimpse into the "Harry Potter" universe once more and have been able to keep up my love for the characters and the books years after they have been written.